Mumbai, April 30:

BMC Headquarters Faces Calls for Urgent Medical Upgrades After Two Deaths

The demand for deployment of a 24/7 dedicated advanced life support (ALS) ambulance for the BMC headquarters, located at Fort opposite CSMT, is on the rise. In the last one year, two deaths have been reported at the head office due to heart attacks.

Officials say the cases of breathlessness, minor attacks, uneasiness, etc. are on the rise in the head office, and there is a dire need for an expert doctor in the medical centre and an ALS ambulance to enable proper treatment in the golden hour.

Only transport ambulance available

The BMC headquarters has a minimum of 5,000 people on any working day, including staff and visitors. However, the headquarters currently has only a transportation ambulance, and one MBBS doctor (Assistant Medical Officer) and an Ayurvedic doctor deployed till evening hours at the medical centre located on the second floor.

Officials say this proves unuseful for serious illnesses and emergency medical conditions.

Staffer's death raised concerns

Around eight months ago, an Assistant Law Officer, Kunal Waghmare (37), posted at the headquarters, died on duty. Sources from the BMC said the colleagues did not realise that Waghmare was under cardiac arrest and presumed it was breathlessness.

"He was first taken to GT Hospital and then St George Hospital. He was waving at his colleague while being taken inside St George Hospital, signalling that he was hopeful that he was fine, however, passed away before the treatment could begin. It was tragic. Doctors said even if he could have been brought to the hospital two minutes before, he would have survived. That is when we realised the dire need of a dedicated advanced facilities ambulance," an official said.

Visitor also died after collapse

Another official said that last year, a visitor collapsed in front of the Municipal Commissioner's office and was declared dead due to a severe heart attack.

"It is situations like these, when golden hour treatment, correct diagnosis and treatment are paramount to save lives. As the headquarters has only a transportation ambulance, we have to call a 108 ambulance from CSMT. However, it happens that it has been deployed somewhere else at the same time. At the office place which has over 5,000 people present, a dedicated ALS ambulance and an expert doctor are needed."

Issue raised in civic house

Earlier this month, Leader of the BMC House Ganesh Khankar raised in the corporation house the need for having an ambulance and expert doctor, since most of the councillors and staff are above the age of 50 years and suffer ailments.

"May it be a corporator or staff or a visitor, if we want to give immediate and correct treatment, we need a dedicated ambulance. Currently we have a 108 ambulance on call," Khankar said.