Pune: New Dean of Sassoon Hospital Initiates Inquiry Amidst Rising Daily Patient Deaths, Keeps Patient Care On Priority
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31 May 2024
Pune – Sassoon General Hospital has reported an alarming average of 24 patient deaths per day, amounting to a significant increase from last year’s total of 8,875 deaths. In response to this crisis, the newly appointed dean, Dr. Chandrakant Mhaske, has promptly formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the causes.
Last year, Sassoon Hospital recorded the highest number of deaths in the state, reaching 8,875. The previous dean, Dr. Vinayak Kale, had announced the creation of a fact-finding committee to address the issue. However, following a press conference where he clarified that the appointment of Dr. Ajay Taware as medical superintendent was directed by the State Medical Education Minister, Dr. Kale was placed on compulsory leave by the state government. Subsequently, Dr. Chandrakant Mhaske assumed the role of dean and immediately set up an inquiry committee on Thursday to investigate the high mortality rate.
Dr. Mhaske brings extensive experience to his new position. He was previously the head of the Department of Dermatology at BJ Government Medical College and has served as dean at several institutions, including Government Medical Colleges in Aurangabad, Nanded, Kolhapur, and Ahilya Devi Holkar Government Medical College, Baramati. Additionally, he has been a member of the Medical Council of India.
Sassoon Hospital, the largest government hospital in western Maharashtra, has a capacity of approximately 1,800 beds. However, it often operates beyond its capacity, admitting around 180 patients to its inpatient department daily. The outpatient department sees over 2,500 patients daily, and about 160 patients are discharged each day. Despite these figures, the hospital has been facing an average of 24 deaths daily.
The hospital serves a vast region, drawing patients from various districts and handling serious cases referred from private hospitals in Pune and neighboring areas. The administration notes that 40 percent of the patients are admitted directly, while 60 percent are transferred from other hospitals. Alarmingly, nearly half of these transferred patients succumb within 48 hours of admission.
In light of these troubling statistics, the newly formed committee will seek to uncover the underlying issues contributing to the high mortality rate and propose necessary measures to enhance patient care and reduce fatalities at Sassoon General Hospital.
