Making clear that Shiv Sena has no intention to politicise the issue of deaths in State’s Government Medical College and Hospitals (GMCHs), Yuva Sena leader Aditya Thackeray, on Monday, said that the State’s healthcare system, however, needs a total revamp. While interacting with mediapersons at GMCH, Nagpur, Thackeray said, “Ambadas Danve and I visited three major GMCHs in Maharashtra to understand the issues in the healthcare system. We feel that the system in GMCHs needs a complete revamp.” Aditya Thackeray was accompanied by Leader of Opposition in State Council Ambadas Danve. “If everyone appreciated the healthcare system during coronavirus pandemic, how can it be suddenly inefficient now? We don’t want to stretch the issue of deaths. But we observed that GMCHs are facing staff crunch as well as shortage of drugs. This year, GMCH received only three of the required 258 drugs. This is something that is not good for our healthcare system. I had taken up this issue on July 29 when even the IV fluid was not available. This is serious.”

 

Danve and Thackeray had toured Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital, Nanded, and Government Medical College and Hospital (Ghati), Sambhaji Nagar before visiting GMCH, Nagpur. “Funds given by District Planning Committee are adequate, but non-DPC funds are upto 70%. Here in Nagpur GMCH, 1,030 posts are vacant. In a situation, the system can collapse. Haffkine Pharmaceutical Private Limited was brought in and that caused all the havoc. It failed to provide medicines to GMCHs,” he said, suggesting that Deans should be given full administrative powers.

 

“We were asked by Uddhavji to visit the hospitals and review the system. The Deans have to manage on their own. Government should provide a back up. Cleanliness is important, but whatever stunt that MP did in Nanded is not acceptable,” Thackeray replied to a querry. Those who accompanied Danve and Thackeray were MP Vinayak Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) Contact Head and MLC Dushyant Chaturvedi, Pramod Manmode, Vishal Barbate, Kishor Kumeria and others. Earlier, Thackeray and others interacted with in-charge Dean Dr Devendra Mahore, and other faculties regarding the situation in GMCH.