Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Maharashtra government proposed constructing an epidemic hospital building on unused land at the Aundh District Hospital premises. A 100-bed hospital was later constructed after the second wave of the pandemic, and the hospital is now fully ready for use. However, activists claim that although the Director of Health Services, Pune, visited the premises a year ago when it was ready, the building has remained unused.
Meanwhile, after Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) gained global attention following an outbreak in China, activists are calling on authorities to be prepared to deal with the virus and open the epidemic hospital building immediately. This comes on the day when two cases of HMPV were reported in Karnataka.
"Even though there are no cases of HMPV in Pune or Maharashtra, the authorities should be prepared to deal with the virus. They constructed an epidemic hospital—what is it being made for if it can't be used during emergencies? The authorities should visit and check why it is not operational. They must be ready to face such a crisis, God forbid, if it spreads to the masses. Taxpayers' money will be wasted if the hospital building is not put to use," activists claim.
'HMPV outbreak in China should make them vigilant'
Sharad Shetty, a health activist, said, "A year ago, a team from the Director of Health Services visited the premises, and at that time, the work was almost complete—only the drainage line and electricity connection remained. It's been a year since its completion, yet the facility is still not in public use. What are they waiting for? The HMPV outbreak in China should make them vigilant and proactive in opening the facility."
"Despite two years having passed since the Maharashtra government built a 100-bed infectious disease hospital at Aundh District Hospital in Pune, the local administration has completely failed to make it operational. Considering the threat posed by HMPV, precautionary measures such as increasing the number of beds in government hospitals for treatment should be taken across the state," added Shetty.
'Will open during an emergency'
Commenting on this, Dr Nagnath Yempalle, the civil surgeon at Aundh District Hospital (ADH), said the hospital is ready for use and will open during an emergency if required. Yempalle told The Free Press Journal, "The 100-bed hospital is complete and ready for use. Only the electric meter connection is pending, but transformers have been installed, and generators are available for emergencies. We have instructed OPDs to screen for HMPV and issued guidelines that are very similar to Covid protocols. The hospital will be utilised if an emergency arises. We also have spare generators to handle such situations. However, we will certainly make it available to the public in the coming times."
Meanwhile, the Pune health department has assured citizens that there is no need to panic regarding the HMPV cases reported in China. Necessary precautions are being implemented, and officials stated that no cases of HMPV have been reported in Maharashtra as of now.
'Unlikely to cause a pandemic like Covid-19'
Dr Prachee Sathe, Director of the ICU and Critical Care Unit at Ruby Hall Clinic, highlighted, "While HMPV is a significant respiratory pathogen, it is unlikely to cause a pandemic on the scale of Covid-19. Unlike Covid-19, HMPV does not have the same level of asymptomatic spread or a long incubation period, and it tends to cause more localised outbreaks. However, it can lead to serious illness in vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. To prevent a widespread outbreak, maintaining good hygiene, promoting vaccination against other respiratory illnesses, and closely monitoring new cases will be crucial."
