Covid norms flouted at Meenatai Thakre hospital in Kondhwa
Renuka Suryavanshi
Pune Municipal Corporation has been issuing several circulars regarding restriction on attendance of people in various establishments. But its own hospital in Kondhwa is seen flouting the Covid19 norms. Meenatai Thakre Hospital in Kondhwa area sees huge crowd everyday for vaccination. This hospital has vaccination facility for all age groups and people queue outside the hospital since early morning, flouting the basic norms by not maintaining social distancing and roaming without face masks.
Prasad Mahadev Babar, president, Aai Pratishthan, an NGO in Kondhwa while speaking to Pune Pulse said, ‘The Meenatai Thakre hospital run by Pune Municipal Corporation in Kondhwa has vaccination facility for all age groups where CAB (Covid Appropriate Behaviour) is not followed. People queue up from early morning for vaccination. This facility has infants to senior citizens coming for vaccination. PMC should take some strict measures to curb the crowd.’
Babar further said that when we approached the hospital for allowing us to hold a vaccination camp in our office premises but they denied and stated that only ruling corporators are allowed to hold where as in many wards vaccination facility is given to many organisations. My intention was to ensure that everyone gets vaccination in a safe manner by following all Covid19 health protocols.
Dr Manisha Sulakhe, ward medical officer, Pune Municipal Corporation while speaking to Pune Pulse said that there is indeed queue of people waiting for their vaccination. She said, ‘I shall speak to the concerned authority and ask them revise the time schedule and ensure that there is limited crowd. Both Covieshield and Covaxin vaccines are given at this center.’
Sainath Babar, local corporator, Prabhag 27 said, ‘It is mandatory for children to be given vaccination in the hospital premises only. I will speak with the medical officer of PMC and see if we can change the center to some other school nearby so that the crowd is divided and covid appropriate behaviour is followed.’
Despite repeated attempts to contact Dr Ashish Bharati and Dr Suryakant Devkar, they remained unavailable for any comment on the issue.
