Mumbai: A viral video from Mumbai's KEM Hospital sparked concerns about patient safety after a critically ill patient with a plastered leg was seen struggling to use the staircase due to a non-functional lift.
The video allegedly shows the patient, whose leg is bandaged and plastered, struggling to climb the staircase after the lift in the hospital's orthopaedic building reportedly remained out of service for a week.
The visuals show the patient carefully making his way up the stairs, raising concerns that the plastered leg could get hit, the patient could fall or the injury could become more serious.
Patients face difficulties accessing upper floors
With the lift remaining non-functional, several patients visiting the hospital are reportedly facing difficulties accessing the upper floors of the building, causing additional hardship for those with mobility issues and serious medical conditions.
Following the concerns raised by citizens, Harish Bhandirge, Chairman of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation's Public Health Committee, criticised the hospital administration over the alleged negligence. He directed the administration to immediately suspend and remove the officers concerned from the mechanical and electrical departments.
According to the reports, Bhandirge also instructed the hospital to restore the lift services at the earliest, stating that patients were suffering due to the delay.
Bhandirge questions hospital's lift maintenance
Expressing his displeasure, he said, “It is a shame that while thousands of crores of rupees are being spent on the healthcare system, basic facilities like lifts are not available to patients coming for treatment. This is tarnishing the image of the Municipal Corporation. Why were the lifts not maintained and repaired on time? Why were no efforts made to replace them after they broke down? Did anyone hold back the relevant proposals?”
Shiv Sena corporator Amey Ghole also criticised the hospital administration for allegedly failing to address the difficulties faced by patients due to the non-functional lifts.
Corporator criticises hospital administration
Taking to X, Ghole wrote, “Patients continue to suffer, but is the hospital administration asleep?
“The news that the lift in the OPD section of KEM Hospital, which serves ordinary and poor patients in Mumbai, has been out of service for several days is deeply infuriating!”
He further wrote, “If senior citizens, people with disabilities and patients suffering from serious illnesses have to climb stairs for treatment, what could be a greater failure? Why must patients coming to the hospital for treatment first be punished by having to climb stairs? Does the hospital administration place no value on patients’ lives or pain? Shockingly, it has emerged that tenders for the safety and repair of various lifts at KEM Hospital were issued on November 6. Then why weren’t these problems fixed earlier?”
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