Pune: Private agency appointed to run COVID-19 hospital opts out due to 'political pressure'

Mumbai, Sep 07: Private agency Lifeline that was appointed to run Pune's jumbo COVID-19 facility at the College of Engineering Pune (CoEP), has decided to withdraw from the task due to "undue political pressure".

"We cannot run the hospital in a situation like this. The atmosphere has been vitiated by undue political pressure. We've conveyed our inability to run the facility to the divisional commissioner. They'll have to take a decision on this," Director of Lifeline, Sujit Patker, told The Indian Express.

The agency said that they have to face 'intense political pressure and drama', making it difficult for them to function. The facility had started to function on 24th August.

This comes after the mass resignation of doctors and nurses, and lack of facilities in the hospital.

The agency withdrew its name after the district administration appointed two more agencies to provide medical professionals for the facility.

Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao said that as Lifeline cannot provide staff in adequate numbers, the administration has appointed two more agencies.

Denying to Commissioner' statement, Patker said, "These are medico-legal cases. Someone has to be held responsible. A single party cannot be held responsible. And, therefore, I think it would be better if we opt out of the contract and allow those appointed to run the show."

Parker further alleged that the problem arose when political leaders started to interfere. He said that they gate-crashed the facility and abused and threatened the medical staff.

Some of the doctors and nurses resigned just a day after joining, while many refused to join. "Nobody wanted to work under intense political pressure."

However, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has sought the probe report by Monday.

"Three cardiac ambulances that came from private hospitals or other sources were not fit to carry the patient. One ambulance had no ventilator, while in another, the ventilator did not function. The patient died of cardiac arrest despite our doctors' effort to save his life," the management told government officials.

"We have given our version to the authorities. We were asked to manage the hospital and our team put its best effort," Patker said.

According to the contract signed by Lifeline, they had to manage 25 per cent of the facility's capacity for the first week and the number of patients was supposed to increase slowly.