LPG shortage affects food availability for doctors, staff in Mumbai’s public hospitals

Mumbai: The ongoing LPG cylinder shortage crept into the city's public hospitals, with food availability for doctors and staff affected. Food preparation for patients was not affected so far, said officials of the state govt-run J J Hospital in Byculla and central govt-run Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre's Kharghar unit, which were affected.A senior doctor at ACTREC said staff and students were asked to be accommodating and manage with khichdi. "Patients get the usual plate," he said, adding the hospital got only 8 cylinders per day. In J J Hospital, too, patients' food was not affected. "The canteens where food for patients is prepared are registered for a domestic LPG connection whose distribution was not affected," said J J Hospital Dean Dr Ajay Bhandarwar. The canteens attached to the boys', girls' and nursing hostels have commercial connections whose supply was affected. Each of these 3 canteens needs 3 to 4 cylinders a day. Students are being given dry options such as sandwiches as a result.However, Dr Bhandarwar said he wrote to the department of medical education, and the matter will be resolved soon.