Mumbai: In just three weeks, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Health Department claims to have caught as many as 750 rats at Cooper Hospital. The menace came into sharp focus last week when, soon after an elderly woman was bitten, two more patients reported similar incidents, raising serious concerns about patient safety.
To curb such cases, the civic body has deployed pest control staff round the clock in hospital wards.
Rat Bites Raise Alarm on Patient Safety
Indumati Kadam (85), a resident of Shivaji Nagar in Marol, was admitted last Saturday evening with breathing difficulties. After initial treatment in the Intensive Care Unit, she was shifted to the general female ward on Tuesday. On Wednesday night, her right arm was bitten in four places by rats. Soon after, 80-year-old Hussain Banu was bitten early Friday morning, followed by another patient on Saturday.
Sealing Entry Points to Prevent Infestation
Dr. Shailesh Mohite, Dean of Nair Hospital, has been given additional charge as head of the supervisory committee for hygiene and cleanliness at Cooper. He said that several measures are being taken to trap rats, including sealing 8 to 10 entry points and closing off potential access routes in the wards.
Hospital Administration Overhauled
Meanwhile, Dr. Neelam Andrade, Director (Medical Education and Major Hospitals) and Acting Dean of Cooper Hospital, said that hospital administration has been streamlined. “Since taking charge, 850 files have been cleared in the past three weeks. In addition, 350 work orders have been issued to ensure the availability of medicines and other essential supplies for patients,” she stated.
Improved Patient Services
Hospital officials further informed that outpatient registration now begins at 7:30 a.m. with five counters operating to reduce waiting time. The pharmacy’s working hours have also been extended until 7:30 p.m., while a cleanliness committee has been appointed to monitor daily hygiene within the hospital and its premises.
