Articles by Somita Pal
JJ ophthalmology doctors accuse ex-dean’s son of manipulation, intimidation
Resident doctors at Sir JJ Hospital in Mumbai have filed a complaint against Dr Sumeet Lahane, son of the hospital's former dean, alleging that he is attempting to manipulate and intimidate them into withdrawing a complaint against his father. The complaint was made in April 2016, when nearly 450 resident doctors went on strike against the head of the ophthalmology department and the then dean. Dr Sumeet has reportedly continued to visit the department and perform surgeries, despite not holding an official position at the hospital. The National Medical Commission has been asked to investigate.
Updated on May 30, 2023 01:15 AM IST
Resident doctors allege NMC guideline violations in JJ Hosp ophthalmology dept
Resident doctors at Mumbai's Sir JJ Hospital allege multiple deficiencies in academics and training, and violation of National Medical Commission guidelines in the ophthalmology department. They claim retired director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research and former dean Dr TP Lahane is practising within the department, specifically conducting cataract surgeries, which the doctors say is adversely impacting academic activities. A committee has been formed to investigate the claims.
Updated on May 28, 2023 12:25 AM IST
BMC yet to act on contractor who filed fake documents
The BMC said that it had issued a show cause notice to the contractor last month—however, RTI activist Santosh Daundkar pointed out that the civic body had not filed an FIR despite ten months going by, and was not taking the offence seriously.
Updated on May 21, 2023 12:38 AM IST
From desilting sites to dinner with Covid task force, state politicians play their ace cards
While chief minister Eknath Shinde got his shoes dirty on Thursday when he visited the Mithi River, in BKC, to oversee the desilting work ahead of monsoon, claiming to be “a field person and a people’s person”, on Wednesday, Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had surprised former members of Covid-19 task force by inviting them to a dinner to express his appreciation for their work.
Updated on May 20, 2023 01:03 AM IST
A national level boxing champion scores 89.5% in the board exams
Aditi Sharma, a national level boxing champion, has won several medals and scored 89.5% in her twelfth-grade board exams while juggling schoolwork at Lilavatibai Podar High School.
Updated on May 15, 2023 05:01 PM IST
From operation theatre to exam hall
On one hand, she was a student of Ryan International School, Goregaon, with dreams of cracking the exams and bringing laurels to her school and family. On the other hand, she was diagnosed with an ovarian tumor after sudden abdominal pain. The tests done, MRIs and CT scans called for urgency, and soon she was being wheeled in.
Updated on May 15, 2023 04:57 PM IST
UP smuggler swallows 8 gold bars, JJ docs help purge him
Custom officials told us that Intizar Ali had ingested gold pellets and was feeling uneasy,” said Dr Supriya Bhondve, assistant professor, surgery department, under whom Ali was admitted. “We did an X-ray and CT scan that showed eight metal objects stuck in his large and small intestines
Updated on May 13, 2023 02:47 AM IST
BMC cracks whip, asks its hospitals to ensure medicine supply
A senior health official from a civic-run medical college told HT that at the meeting, they had been instructed to increase local purchase and see to it that patients or their relatives were not made to buy medicines and other hospital essentials
Updated on May 12, 2023 12:50 AM IST
‘Money to light up city but none for medicines’
Former corporators and activists in Mumbai have criticised the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for failing to address the recurring issue of medicine shortages in civic-run hospitals. Patients have been forced to purchase medicines, gloves, saline and other medical supplies due to the shortages. Ravi Raja, former leader of the opposition in the BMC, called on the body to enter into rate contract agreements with manufacturers, and to bring medicine supplies under the Essential Services Act. Ataul Khan, a health activist, called for daily updates to be made to boards outside hospitals detailing available medicines.
Updated on May 11, 2023 01:46 AM IST
Medical education department sends seventh notice to CPS
College of Physicians (CPS) faces action over alleged anomalies in its colleges and courses as the state medical education department sent another notice to appear for a hearing on May 16. The notice mentioned that CPS must submit guidelines under which teachers are appointed and details of health infrastructure. CPS had moved the court after receiving previous notices on February 8, March 14, March 21, April 5, April 13 and April 18. The previous notices had stated that two colleges offering courses of specialisation by CPS were closed, 73 refused inspections and there were deficiencies in the remaining 45.
Updated on May 11, 2023 01:15 AM IST
Patients suffer as BMC fails to approve bulk supplies
Contractors say tenders for purchases have not been floated in three years; commissioner says he is breaking the monopoly.
Updated on May 10, 2023 01:05 AM IST
22-year-old writes three-hour BA exam with transplanted hand
Ahirwar had lost both his hands in an accident while working in an automobile factory in April 2019 in Haryana. Through the internet, he learnt about the hand transplant programme at KEM Hospital-parel and decided to come to Mumbai. He enrolled for it in February 2021 and underwent a right-hand transplant after six months
Updated on May 07, 2023 12:20 AM IST
Somita Pal
Living will doctor writes to BMC commissioner for a custodian of his will
Dr Nikhil Datar, gynaecologist and judicial activist, notarised his living will on February 22. While Dr Datar is on a mission to sensitise people on the importance of having a living will, so that more people come forward to have their wills, he said it is high time that the corporation appoints a custodian to safeguard the documents
Updated on May 05, 2023 12:27 AM IST
Somita Pal
48-hr hunger strike by two Vikhroli residents forces BMC to fast-track hospital reconstruction
The residents, who went on a hunger strike on May 1, are Milind Parab, 56, and Ashok Kharat, 37. The duo wanted to highlight the plight of the locals, who have been deprived of quality healthcare in the vicinity after the 100-bed KMJP Hospital was shut.
Updated on May 04, 2023 12:59 AM IST
Somita Pal
Sewri TB hospital to introduce non-veg food as diet option to patients
In 2014, the BMC had awarded the contract to prepare meals for patients at the 750-bed Sewri TB hospital, which is the largest TB hospital in Asia, to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). However, lack of necessary nutrition, animal protein, garlic, and ginger were always felt by patients with several demands by corporators to introduce non-vegetarian food in the diet.
Updated on May 03, 2023 12:46 AM IST
Somita Pal
‘Govt should refrain from knee-jerk reactions, have SOP in place’
With the state appointing a new task force for Covid-19, HT speaks to its chairman Dr Subhash Salunkhe on the present surge of cases, vaccine hesitancy and the need to have a standard operating procedure to handle viral respiratory infectious diseases. Salunkhe has previously led the state’s measles task force
Updated on Apr 30, 2023 01:06 AM IST
Somita Pal
BMC to start DR-TB centre in private hospitals
A meeting for the same was held last month after which the Mumbai TB office has received 2-3 corporate hospitals coming forward. “We are waiting for more corporate hospitals to come forward before rolling out the initiative,” said Dr Varsha Puri, deputy executive health officer and Mumbai TB officer
Updated on Apr 17, 2023 01:04 AM IST
Somita Pal
Ahead of SC hearing, Indian Psychiatric Society supports same-sex marriage
The IPS- an umbrella body of psychiatrists in the country with close to 8,000 members- reiterated in its statement that homosexuality is a variant of normal sexuality and not an illness and also said that like every citizen of India, members of the LGBTQIA+ community should be treated equally
Updated on Apr 10, 2023 12:44 AM IST
Somita Pal
Psychiatrists issue statement supporting same-sex marriage ahead of SC hearing
The Indian Psychiatric Society has said that LGBTQA spectrum individuals should be treated like all citizens of the country and should be able to enjoy all civil rights including marriage and adoption
Updated on Apr 09, 2023 03:46 PM IST
Somita Pal
As BMC starts 44 new HBT clinics, existing centres face non-payment of salaries
Healthcare workers at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray (HBT) clinics are facing non-payment of salaries, despite the addition of 44 new clinics. The HBT project aims to decongest tertiary care hospitals and strengthen primary healthcare. Doctors in six wards are still waiting for their salaries, with one doctor questioning why there is a delay in resolving the issue. The HBT doctors also reported a shortage of medicines, including antibiotics and blood pressure medication, with patient inflow affected. A senior BMC health official said the salary issue will be resolved this month.
Updated on Apr 08, 2023 12:16 AM IST
Somita Pal
BMC issues show cause notice to ‘aapli chikitsa’ contractor
HT, on March 18, reported about centres either being shut or not giving reports on time after which, IS Chahal, the civic commissioner, held a meeting with Krsnaa diagnostics on the same day instructing them to resolve all the issues on a war footing. BMC health officials had then said Krsnaa diagnostics had asked for a week’s time to fix the problem saying it’s a teething phase.
Published on Mar 31, 2023 12:16 AM IST
Somita Pal
Mumbai to get its first uterus transplant programme
The surgeon, who is the director of Pune’s Galaxy Care Multispeciality Hospital, is the country’s sole practitioner of this procedure, having conducted 11 successful uterus transplants so far. He is slated to perform two uterus transplants next month in Pune, one of them on a 29-year-old married woman from Mumbai. “The H N Reliance Hospital team too is preparing its list,” Dr Shailesh Puntambekar said. “If there is a patient, we will perform the first uterus transplant in Mumbai next month.”
Updated on Mar 30, 2023 10:30 PM IST
Somita Pal
Loss to follow-up among drug-resistant TB decreases from 16% to 2%
Mumbai: In the last five years, the Mumbai tuberculosis (TB) office has managed to drastically bring the loss of follow-up to treatment percentage among drug-resistant TB patients from 16% (864) in 2018 to 2% (138) in 2022
Published on Mar 25, 2023 12:43 AM IST
Somita Pal
Aapli Chikitsa contractor given one week to fix issues: BMC
The issue was reported by HT on March 18. On Thursday, the BMC conducted a review meeting of Aapli Chikitsa diagnostic centres, which was led by Sanjeev Kumar, additional commissioner (Health), BMC and was also attended by Pallavi Jain, managing director of Krsnaa Diagnostics Ltd, the contracted firm operating these centres.
Published on Mar 24, 2023 01:02 AM IST
Somita Pal and Jeet Mashru
BMC finds 47.60% contacts of TB patients with latent TB
The corporation started screening close contacts of TB on July 18, 2022, as a part of the break-the-chain campaign to detect and cut down on transmission. The Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) tests have been used to detect latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among households
Published on Mar 24, 2023 12:43 AM IST
Somita Pal
Overworked HBT clinic doctors face salary delays for months
Mumbai: For the past few months, doctors working at Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray (HBT) clinics in Mumbai have not been paid their salaries and incentives
Published on Mar 23, 2023 10:03 PM IST
Somita Pal
Over 99% health workers with Vasai Virar corporation are on contract, RTI data finds
Even 14 years after its formation, the health department of the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) is being run by contractual employees
Published on Mar 22, 2023 10:08 PM IST
Megha Sood and Somita Pal, Mumbai
Significantly shorter treatment for drug-resistant TB likely soon
Mumbai: There’s some cheer in store for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) patients, who have been abiding a prolonged treatment regimen with severe side-effects
Updated on Mar 22, 2023 12:49 AM IST
Somita Pal
Will resolve Aapli Chikitsa issue on war footing: Chahal
There are 139 tests that can be done at these centres, of which 101 tests are basic and 38 tests are advanced tests. Under the scheme, the corporation outsourced laboratory testing for all maternity homes, peripheral hospitals and dispensaries to the private laboratory
Published on Mar 19, 2023 12:35 AM IST
Jeet Mashru and Somita Pal
BMC’s Aapli Chikitsa diagnostics centres shut or reports delayed
Mumbai: Aapli Chikitsa (Your diagnosis) — rolled out four years ago to provide Mumbai citizens basic and advanced pathology tests at a subsidised rate — has hit a rough patch after many centres, which are supposed to collect samples, remained shut despite a new contractor being appointed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corportation (BMC) on March 6
Published on Mar 18, 2023 01:00 AM IST
Somita Pal & Jeet Mashru