Maharashtra: GMC Nagpur to begin spine injury care centre

Nagpur: The Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) at Nagpur is soon going to house the state's first Spinal Injury Care Center. The GMCH Nagpur had submitted a proposal to the Central Government and a detailed report is being prepared by the government on it.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment initiated the setting up of such centers in 2015. However, the state did not take it on- immediately. It was only after it was brought to the notice of the Transport Minister that things gained momentum as he included this project in the list of others that he planned to push with the center to improve the medical sector in the city.

Central government's Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched a program to set up such centers in 2015 and asked all states to submit proposals for it. But, shockingly, the state government did nothing. When the matter was brought to Gadkari's attention, he included it in the list of projects he wanted from the Center to improve the medical sector in the city.

Gadkari's adviser and Head of the NGO, Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Institute of Medical Science, Research and Human Resource, Dr Viral Kamdar consistently pursued the proposal and gave permission for setting-up of the Spinal Injury Center in every state.

Kamdar said, "In spite of repeated reminders to state government, they did nothing. We then started taking follow-up of the project. We asked GMCH to approach the Union government asking for the Spine Center."

On September 20, a letter was written by the Head of Department of Orthopaedics to the college Dean, to apply to the ministry for the center at GMCH.

The department head replied saying, that GMCH lacked a dedicated ward and team of physiotherapist and occupational therapist to treat spinal injuries.

However, the next day, the GMCH Dean, Dr Abhimanyu Niswade did write to the center.

"GMCH has been providing treatment to spinal injury patients since many years but there is lack of separate facility and specialized rehabilitation service for them," said Niswade.

Kamdar on the other hand stated, "In the coming days we are going to sit with Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) and submit it to the Central government. The center is expected to begin with existing infrastructure, no new construction is needed. We can expect the center to begin operating in another six months."