Burns ward at Pune's Sassoon hospital lacks facilities for relatives

The scorching sun, rain and dust that surrounds the 25 bed burns ward at the government run Sassoon General Hospital has become a nuisance for the relatives of the patients admitted to the ward. Many of them are demanding a visiting room as they are unable to bear the weather and the litter.

Sources from the hospital said the ward will soon be under renovation and so far, eight air conditioners have been installed for patients’ comfort.

One of the relatives, Vansa Koke from Beed told DNA, “We are here for the last three days and are fed up with the garbage that is everywhere near the ward. There is no place to sit or rest. The shade in front of the ward is broken and has no proper chairs. We need at least a room or space where we can sit or rest as most of us are with the patient till he/she is discharged.’’

Another kin of a patient who was brought to the hospital three days ago, Neeraj Pardeshi said, “There are broken chairs all over and the floor tiles too are broken. The relatives who are already depressed and frustrated due to the incident, are left with no choice but to sit on the dirty floor or loiter around the hospital. There is no proper shade due to which many relatives sit under the tree.’’

Sangeeta Jadhav, a Yerawada resident, cribbed that people spit and there are stains all over the place. “They eat and leave the waste behind them rather than throwing it into a dustbin as there is no dustbin near the ward. Also, the patients who are sensitive to infections, are more at risk due to this behaviour of people sitting near the ward. We demand at least a visiting room for the
relatives,’’ she added.

Another relative Pragya Kharat from Daund said, “Most of the patients hail from surrounding areas and belong to poor families. We lack enough money to stay in a hotel or any ashram. Most of us here come with the patient and stay back due to which we are even forced to sleep on the floor outside the ward in dirty surroundings. A visiting room is a good idea and the hospital should take a note of this demand,’’ she said.

The head of the burns ward and plastic surgery department, Dr Tushar Sahasrabudhe, told DNA, “We agree that the shade has become old and many chairs are broken. The relatives are not allowed inside the ward because the burns patients are very sensitive to bacterial or any kind of infection. But a waiting room for the relatives is a good idea which will
be considered.’’