PMC commissioner visited Dr Naidu hospital over the weekend and on Monday held a meeting with representatives of private hospitalsPune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Monday instructed private hospitals to promptly register information about confirmed dengue cases and other diseases of public health concern immediately on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP)Following the suspected dengue death of an eight-year-old girl in the city, the PMC commissioner visited Dr Naidu hospital over the weekend and on Monday held a meeting with representatives of private hospitals.During the meeting, the Municipal Commissioner directed private hospitals to ensure that dengue patients are admitted and provided with immediate medical treatment without delay. Hospitals were also instructed to promptly register information about confirmed dengue cases, as well as cases of other relevant diseases, on the IHIP platform.The meeting focused on strengthening coordination between the municipal health authorities and private hospitals to ensure timely treatment, accurate reporting of dengue cases, and effective disease surveillance across Pune.Emphasising the importance of public awareness, the Commissioner also stated that efforts to educate citizens about dengue prevention should not be limited to the public health department alone. “Other hospital departments must also provide patients and their family members with the necessary information and guidance,” he added.He stressed that patients who return home after receiving treatment for fever must continue to be monitored carefully, as their condition may require further medical attention.To prevent the spread of dengue, citizens have been advised to use mosquito repellents, avoid water stagnation in and around their homes, regularly clean water containers and storage vessels and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites. Hospitals have also been instructed to educate patients about these preventive measures.Story continues below this adAuthorities appealed to hospitals to provide detailed information about the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Urban Poor Health Scheme to patients seeking treatment for dengue and other illnesses. Hospitals have been urged to ensure that eligible citizens are aware of the scheme and can access its benefits.During the meeting, representatives of private hospitals raised various challenges and concerns related to patient care and hospital operations. The Commissioner assured them that their issues would be addressed, necessary instructions would be issued to the concerned departments, and appropriate solutions would be implemented as soon as possible. Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More