Ahmedabad: Three firemen who risked their lives battling a blaze were rushed to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital late at night – all because Gandhinagar Civil Hospital lacks a dedicated burns ward.
“With no burns unit available, the decision was made urgently to transfer the three severely injured firemen to Ahmedabad,” confirmed Rajesh Patel, the in-charge chief fire officer.
Officials reveal that the GMERS Civil Hospital in Gandhinagar routinely manages burn cases within its general surgery department, a makeshift arrangement that necessitates the transfer of critical patients to Ahmedabad.
Authorities said a proposal for a dedicated burns ward has been hanging fire, awaiting the govt’s nod. While authorities point to “special arrangements” in five wards as a temporary solution, the reality remains: a proper burns unit is desperately needed. The ongoing hospital expansion promises to include this vital facility, but for now, it’s a promise that offers little comfort to those suffering from severe burns.
This has become a recurring nightmare, as evidenced by a recent village fire where all burn victims followed the same agonizing route. “Even after the heartbreaking deaths of a four-year-old boy and a 45-year-old woman after a fire broke out in an apartment in Vavol – a tragedy the family directly blamed on the lack of a burns ward – six long years have passed. The health department has yet to act,” said a govt officer, refusing to be named. “This isn’t some remote district; this is the state capital, home to the chief minister, his cabinet, and top bureaucrats. It’s an unacceptable oversight.”