MUMBAI: Nearly a dozen injured victims of the billboard collapse are expected to need minor to major surgical interventions. With many of these primary breadwinners facing recovery periods ranging from one to three months, their relatives are calling on govt to provide blanket compensation to all the injured.
A total of 74 people were injured in the incident of which 42 remain under treatment at various hospitals and 32 have taken discharge. Doctors at Rajawadi Hospital said seven could require some surgical intervention, particularly those with fractures of the hip, shoulder, knee and wrist fractures. At KEM Hospital, where five patients were shifted, two will undergo surgeries on Wednesday for femur (thigh bone) fractures.
Ajay Chautala (39), who works with a catering company and supports a big family, is anxious about not being able to work for the next few months. With a head injury and an ankle fracture, doctors have said his recovery may take a while. Balaji Bhandare, a driver, was unable to move his limbs. His brother said he was mumbling his fears about not being able to drive.
Dr Bharati Rajulwala, chief medical officer of Rajawadi, though, said all admitted patients are stable, and have been offered counselling. “We don’t see long term deficiencies, but the situation would be clearer after their primary wounds have healed,” she said.
KEM dean Dr Sangeeta Ravat said the two patients who would undergo femur surgery should recover in two-three months. “We also have two patients with spine injuries. It may take over two months for total recovery,” she said.
Guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who visited Rajawadi Hospital, said individuals with more than 60% disability will receive Rs 2.5 lakh, those with less than 60% disability will receive Rs 75,000, while those with minor injuries will receive Rs 50,000. Calling the accident a murder, he said there was negligence on part of the person who gave the NOC for the billboard and bigger negligence among those who didn’t follow the terms and conditions.
Meanwhile, the autopsy of one of the victims, Rajkumar Das (20), conducted at Sion Hospital, revealed the cause of death as traumatic asphyxia resulting from compression of the chest and abdomen associated with multiple injuries. Thirteen autopsies were done at Rajawadi and one at Sion.
We also published the following articles recently
'Those who have two wives will get...': Congress LS candidate makes bizarre promise
Congress candidate Kantilal Bhuria from Ratlam promises Rs 2 lakh to those with two wives in Lok Sabha election rally. Women will receive Rs 1 lakh in their bank accounts as part of the Mahalaxmi Scheme mentioned in the 2024 manifesto for poor households
South Gaza hospitals have only three days' fuel left: WHO
Hospitals in the southern Gaza Strip face a fuel crisis due to border closures by Israel, impacting humanitarian operations. Al-Najjar hospital in Rafah is non-functional amid ongoing hostilities. Talks in Cairo aim to reach a truce in the bloodiest-ever war.
Sharad Pawar: Never said my party would merge with Congress
Sharad Pawar denied suggesting a merger with Congress in an interview, citing NCP's alignment with Congress based on shared ideology since its inception. He mentioned the possibility of closer collaboration with parties sharing similar ideologies.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.Sumitra Deb Roy is a health journalist with more than 17 years of...
Read MoreSumitra Deb Roy is a health journalist with more than 17 years of experience across India’s leading newspapers. She is currently a senior assistant editor with the Times of India, where she has extensively covered the Covid-19 pandemic and highlighted the unprecedented challenges faced by the health systems in Mumbai and Maharashtra. She recently co-authored a book titled “Mumbai Fights Back” that chronicles the city’s battle with Covid-19. She holds a postgraduate degree in journalism from the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai and a bachelor’s in political science from Calcutta University.
Read Less