Civic hospital stocks up for rains

TO TIDE OVER Officials say they have enough beds, medicines for monsoon illnesses

NAVI MUMBAI: If officials from the civic hospital are to be believed, they are fully prepared for the upcoming monsoon with special wards and the requisite stock of medicine in place.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) hospital will have special disaster ward with 30 beds to treat people affected by water-borne diseases, officials said.

The hospital staff has been instructed to step up work on monsoon preparations. “We have informed our staff that they cannot go on leave during the monsoon period unless there is an emergency. Everyone has been asked to update their contact details and addresses,” said Prashant Jawade, medical superintendent, NMMC hospital.

Every monsoon, the civic hospital gets at least 3- 4 cases of snakebite every day, which often have to be directed to hospitals in Mumbai after first aid has been administered. This happens mainly because of a shortage of medicines to treat snakebite.

This year, however, officials say they have ample medicines to deal with snakebite cases. “The stock will last three months and there will be no need to transfer patients to Mumbai,” said Jawade.

Other common cases include casualties from tree and wall collapses, patients with water-borne diseases such as diarrhea and malaria. Health officials said they have the infrastructure to tackle these as well.

To tackle any unforeseen circumstances, officials at the hos- pital are making sure their emergency equipment has been examined and serviced. In addition to this, the batteries, tyres, lights and brakes on ambulance are also being checked.