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Who takes care of doctors in BMC-run hospitals?

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One of the hostel rooms in Sion Hospital
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The death of the 23-year-old resident doctor Dr Shruti Khobragade in civic-run KEM Hospital, has yet again brought to light the inhumane and filthy conditions under which medical colleges reel.

Earlier this year a 25-year-old resident doctor Sumedh Pazare died of dengue at BYL Nair Hospital.

Leaking drainage pipes, stagnant water, biomedical waste dumped in the open is a common sight at KEM, which sees 6,000 patients a day. Moreover, a walk through audit of the hospital revealed that deep pits were dug in straight rows behind the old hospital building. The officials informed that the pits had been dug over many weeks now to lay electric wires by the BEST Undertaking. The open pits dug behind the gynaecology and opthalmology OPDs, are inviting grounds for breeding of mosquitoes. The dean of BMC-run KEM hospital, Dr Shubhangi Parker, said that the pits had been dug shortly after monsoon when the rains receded. "I cannot comment on how soon the dug pits will be filled. The pits have been dug to lay electric wires to extend the level of air conditioning systems in the upcoming trauma care unit," said Dr Parker.

The deceased doctor had a room in the 19-storey hostel tower on the 15th floor. An anaesthesia resident doctor, who also resides in the same hostel on 11th floor said, "We are being bitten by mosquitoes in the hostel and also in the wards where we are assigned duties. We are fed up."

At least seven potential mosquito-breeding sites were seen on the campus with accumulation of water from leakage and construction works, with as many as four near the antenatal ward on the ground floor where new born babies and mothers are kept post delivery.

An alley surrounded by drainage pipes in the gynaecology and obstetrics department, was overflowing with dirty water and garbage.

The condition in other civic-run hospitals of Sion and Nair are no different.

A second-year resident doctor at the Nair hospital said that every room measuring about 250sq ft houses at least houses three resident doctors. "In most of these rooms, the roofs are leaking. The rooms are in a dilapidated condition. There is a common toilet and bathroom facilities... All this leads to untold chaos and illnesses."

Of the 500 resident doctors who work at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital at Sion, most live in terrible conditions. "Most of us are not provided decent mattresses, study tables or locker facility," said a student. Up to 80 resident doctors put up in age-old barracks that were once used to house military personnel. The barracks are infested with mosquitoes and, until November last year, up to 20 doctors had contracted dengue or malaria," said a senior resident doctor.

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