Three more patients die at Thane civic hospital; CM Shinde visits facility, sanctions ₹71 crore

21 patients died at CSM Hospital since Saturday; Maharashtra CM Shinde visited the hospital and announced ₹71cr for rural patients' treatment. The CM promisedc action against those responsible for deaths.

Three more patients died at the municipal-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital at Kalwa in Thane district, taking the toll to 21 since Saturday last, while authorities started moving patients who are not in a serious condition and new admissions to a civil hospital nearby if they are willing to be relocated, officials said on August 14.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (CSM) Hospital and announced ₹71 crore funds for creation of various facilities to treat patients coming from rural parts of Thane district, and promised action against those responsible for the deaths.

Mr. Shinde, who was accompanied by civic chief Abhijit Bangar and district collector Ashok Shingare, said the patient deaths at the CSM Hospital, located in his political turf Thane, were painful and asked all parties to desist from indulging in politics on the issue.

Thane's Additional Municipal Commissioner (in-charge of health services) Sandeep Malvi said in the 24-hour period ended on Monday morning, three more patients died at the civic-run hospital, while one patient was brought dead.

He, however, did not disclose causes of their death.

The number of deaths at the Kalwa-based hospital has come down in the last 24 hours and the details are being compiled and analysed, Malvi said.

The CSM Hospital had reported 18 deaths in a 24-hour period between Saturday and Sunday, following which Chief Minister Shinde ordered setting up of an independent committee to carry out a probe into the clinical aspect of the deaths.