In response to a series of patient complaints and allegations of inadequate care, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) health department has issued a stop-work notice to the organization overseeing the dialysis centre at Kamala Nehru General Hospital.
The Lion’s Club of Pune, Mukundnagar, Charitable Trust, which has been operating the dialysis centre for the past seven years, has been directed to surrender three dialysis machines and the designated service space at a hospital in Mangalwar Peth.
A senior PMC official revealed that despite serving over 40,000 patients during its seven-year tenure, the Lion’s Club chapter received the notice due to persistent complaints and apparent violations of the contract’s terms and conditions. Of the fifteen dialysis machines at the facility, twelve belonged to the agency, and three were owned by the PMC.
The stop-work notice, issued on November 20, requires the agency to cease operations and hand over the dialysis machines within a month. Earlier this year, the PMC had sent two show-cause notices to the agency in response to multiple complaints.
Upon a site inspection on October 4, PMC officials found the facility locked, with accumulated biomedical waste left unattended for at least a year. Furthermore, there was no attending nephrologist on-site, a crucial aspect of patient care. Proper storage and disposal of biomedical waste are essential to prevent infections among patients.
To ensure treatment continuity, patients from the affected location are being redirected to neighboring dialysis facilities. The PMC operates a total of 55 machines across seven additional centers throughout the city, charging Rs 400 per dialysis session. This move follows a crackdown on alleged mismanagement, emphasizing the PMC’s commitment to upholding quality healthcare standards.
