MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES

In 1882, besides the Sholapur civil hospital, there were four dispensaries, one each at Sholapur, Pandharpur, Barshi and Karmala. The Pandharpur dispensary was opened in 1863 and those at Barshi and Karmala in the years 1866 and 1872, respectively. Besides the four dispensaries within British limits, the Akkalkot (native) State dispensary was opened in 1870. The commonest diseases were malarious fevers, conjunctivitis, bowel complaints and skin diseases. Cholera, although prevalent in the neighbourhood, did not visit the town of Akkalkot.

The Sholapur civil hospital was established in the year 1866. The prevailing diseases treated in the hospital were skin and eye diseases, malarious fevers, bowel complaints, cholera etc. In the year 1882, 6,585 out-patients and 347 in-patients were treated.

Table No. 8 shows the number of hospitals, dispensaries and patients treated in the district for a few years from 1895.

In the year 1949 there were eight State public hospitals and 27 local and municipal hospitals. In State public hospitals 132 beds were available, out of which 76 were for men and 56 for women, whereas in local and municipal funds hospitals 75 beds were available, out of which 36 were for men and 39 were for women. The number of subsidised allopathic and ayurvedic dispensaries was 4 and 9, respectively.

Since the year 1945 the position of the hospitals was as follows:—

In the year 1972 there were six hospitals and 42 dispensaries having the bed-strength of 1,034.

Table No. 9 shows the patients treated in the hospitals and dispensaries from 1945 for a few years.

General Hospital: The Civil Hospital, now called General Hospital and established in 1866, has a provision of 152 beds including a T. B. ward with fifty beds. The General Hospital is well-equipped with all the modern instruments including X-ray plant, laboratory apparatus, operation theatre, where even major operations are performed. The hospital also functions as a centre for training midwives.

The Civil Surgeon is the head of the General Hospital at Sholapur and is subordinate to the Surgeon-General to the Government of Maharashtra. He acts as an inspecting authority in respect of all dispensaries (Zilla Parishad and local bodies) in the district. The administration of the General Hospital is looked after by an advisory committee with the Civil Surgeon as its chairman.

The following statement shows the number of daily average in-door and out-door patients treated during the period of five years from 1965:—

There is no stipendiary staff attached to the hospital, except the student-nurses and auxiliary nurses. Out of the total staff of the Dr. V. M. Medical College, the number attached to the hospital was 66.

The expenditure on medicines, equipment and maintenance in the General Hospital during the year 1965 was Rs. 2,10,372 and Rs. 5,07,312 in 1969.

It has become necessary to provide beds and facilities in the General Hospital with a view to cope up with the number of increasing patients. A provision of Rs. 20.75 lakhs has been made in the District Plan for the same.

Dr. Vaishampayan Memorial Medical College: The medical college at Sholapur was established in the year 1963. The expenditure incurred on the construction of college building was Rs. 27,78,956. The following statement shows the number of students and expenditure of the college from 1965 to 1969:—

The medical college has no hospital of its own. N. M. Wadia Charitable Hospital, Smt. Kankubai Eye Hospital and the General Hospital, Sholapur, are attached to this college for teaching purposes.

N. M. Wadia Hospital: At present there are nine wards including two wards for females in the N. M. Wadia Hospital. The total number of beds is 242, of which 64 beds are reserved for females. In addition to the above facilities, there are 62 special rooms where patients from any of the Surgery, Medicine, gynaecology, obstetrics, orthopaedics, pediatrics, E. N. T., Eye, T. B., Psychiatrics and skin and V. D. departments are admitted.

The number of in-door and out-door patients treated in the hospital from 1965 to 1969 is shown in the following statement:—

The expenditure incurred on medicines, equipment and maintenance for the year 1969-70 was Rs. 5,73,000 as against Rs. 4,29,800 in 1965-66.

The number of stipendiary and honorary staff stood at 18 and 6, respectively. The hospital has many important and major departments.

Smt. Kankubai Eye Hospital: Smt. Kankubai Eye Hospital has live general wards and one special ward having four separate rooms.

The average number of in-door and out-door patients treated during the five years from 1965 is shown below:—

In 1965 the expenditure incurred on medicines was Rs. 2,239, on equipment, Rs. 1,394 and on maintenance, Rs. 33,386 as against Rs. 4,833, Rs. 4,148 and Rs. 44,611 respectively, in 1969. The total strength of the stipendiary staff was eighteen in the same year.

Cottage Hospital, Karmala: The cottage hospital was started in the year 1971-72. A provision of Rs. 3.10 lakhs has been made in the District Plan of Sholapur to provide X-ray machine and ambulance to the hospital.

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