Pune: In a major announcement during the question hour of the Legislative Assembly on July 4, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif revealed plans to establish an independent government cancer hospital within the Sassoon Hospital complex.
This announcement came in response to a question posed by member Bhimrao Tapkir regarding the current state of Sassoon Hospital.
The discussion saw participation from opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Jayant Patil, Yashomati Thakur, Anil Deshmukh, Vishwajeet Kadam, and Ashok Pawar.
Minister Mushrif provided updates on various improvements at Sassoon Hospital, stating, “Doctors specializing in bariatric surgery are now available at Sassoon Hospital.
The number of doctors for neonatal care is sufficient, and the number of beds in the intensive care unit will be increased. A meeting with all Pune city representatives will be organized to review the facilities and current status of the hospital.”
He further mentioned that the process of filling vacant positions in medical colleges and hospitals is being carried out through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). All vacant Group 'C' positions have been filled, and district collectors have been authorized to fill Group 'D' positions on a contractual basis.
To ensure the timely procurement of medicines, deans of medical colleges have been granted purchasing authority. This decision aims to prevent any crisis due to the unavailability of medicines.
Legislative Discussion on Sassoon Hospital Management
A discussion on the management of Sassoon Hospital will take place in the current session of the Legislature. This decision was prompted by all-party legislators' objections to Minister Hasan Mushrif’s claim that Sassoon Hospital provides quality healthcare services. Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar suggested and approved the discussion.
Recent incidents of malpractice at Sassoon Hospital were highlighted in the assembly. While asserting that Sassoon is a premier hospital, Minister Mushrif acknowledged that recent events have been unfortunate.
There were demands to increase the number of dialysis sessions and to conduct liver transplant surgeries at the hospital. Legislators Ravindra Dhangekar and Madhuri Misal also raised questions regarding the hospital’s operations.