Pregnant woman's death in Pune highlighted discrepancies in public healthcare system: Ajit Pawar

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said the death of a pregnant woman who was allegedly denied admission by Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital over demand for a deposit of Rs 10 lakh has highlighted discrepancies and insensitivity in the public healthcare system.

Pawar said the state government is working to strengthen emergency medical services and plans to enforce a 'no denial policy' to ensure patients are not refused treatment in emergencies.

The deputy chief minister was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the State Family Welfare Building and Training Centre in Pune and the inauguration of 43 new 'Aapla Dawakhana' clinics.

Terming the pregnant woman's death last month as "heart-wrenching", Pawar said that the incident has caused irreparable pain to her family and deeply wounded the conscience of society.

Tanisha Bhise, the wife of the private secretary of BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe, was refused admission over non-payment of a deposit of Rs 10 lakh in the last week of March. She died in another hospital after giving birth to twin daughters.

Pawar said the episode highlighted the continuing discrepancies and insensitivity in the public health system.

"The state government has taken serious cognisance of the matter. A probe has been launched. We have already received preliminary reports, and stringent action will be taken against those found responsible," he said.

The objective was not just to fix responsibility but also to ensure such incidents were not repeated, he said, adding that the state government will not leave any stone unturned to give justice to the family of the deceased woman.

The deputy chief minister said, "It is our duty to improve healthcare services. We have taken key decisions in this regard. Rules and regulations for private hospitals will be made more stringent. We are strengthening emergency medical services and enforcing a 'no denial policy' to ensure patients are not refused treatment in emergencies." He added that the government plans to implement a 'healthcare response tracker' to ensure timely and effective treatment.

"There will be a dedicated helpline and a rapid response team to assist patients in emergencies," he said.

He said that the chief minister, the health minister, the medical education minister, and he himself believe that healthcare is not just a profession but a service and social responsibility.