Mumbai: Civic-run King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital at Parel will start a ‘haematology day-care ward’ by the end of next week. This ward will provide treatment to patients suffering from various blood disorders like thalassemia, haemophilia and sickle cell disease.
Dr Avinash Supe, dean of KEM Hospital and director of municipal medical colleges, said that the ward will comprise of 15 beds catering to specific blood disorders. At present, these patients do not have a proper place for getting the treatment and have to often sit on trolleys and chairs in the passage. Hence the day care ward will be useful in giving them place during the procedures, he said. Right from blood transfusions to thalassemia patients to giving chemotherapy for blood cancer patients, will be done in this ward.
The one advantage this ward will provide to patients of blood disorders is that they will not have to be admitted in the hospital. They can take the treatment from the outpatients department (OPD). The Hospital is trying to also help the patients financially. “Their treatments cost a lot, hence we are also trying to tie up with some charity groups to subsidise the cost of medicines to begin with,” Dr Supe said. Currently, the hospital gets some sporadic help but now they want it streamlined.
Commenting on this development, Dr Yogini Patel, blood bank- in- charge of the Bombay Suburban Electric Supply (BSES) Hospital, Andheri (W) these efforts will help the patients in a long way. “In fact, more such wards are needed even at other hospitals that will benefit the patients,” she said.
Dr Supe said that this ward will be located on the 11th floor of the new building in the KEM Hospital campus. “Work is on at full swing and we hope to start the ward within the next 10 days,” he said.
