From Plague To COVID Pandemic, Here’s How Naidu Hospital Has Always Been On The Frontlines

In 2020, when Pune became the epicenter of the pandemic in Maharashtra, reporting its first COVID-19 case on March 9, the city quickly evolved into a hotspot. At the heart of this battle was Naidu Hospital, which has consistently been at the forefront of the state’s response to every pandemic or infectious disease outbreak.

Even if now the city has super-specialty hospitals, Naidu Hospital remains the primary facility for treating infectious diseases. The facility played major role in treating patients of plague over a century ago, as well as treating cases of swine flu, H1N1, and most recently, COVID-19.

During the pandemic, Naidu Hospital’s pivotal role was recognized even by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who personally called nurse Chhaya Jagtap to commend the hospital’s efforts during the early days of the crisis.

As the threat of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases looms over the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has once again turned to Naidu Hospital.

The PMC has now reserved a 50-bed isolation ward and issued a directive for the hospital to reserve 350 beds as a precautionary measure.

History of Naidu Hospital

Naidu Hospital’s legacy dates back to the 19th century when the plague devastated Mumbai and spread to nearby Pune. Originally established as a small ward in 1918 by the British, the hospital was built on the banks of the Mula-Mutha river to treat plague patients in Pune and Mumbai during colonial rule.

The hospital has now been shifted to Baner from Sangamwadi by the civic body in 2024.

However, initially, the hospital was restricted to British patients, but later after several protests it was opened to Indian patients.

During the plague outbreak, Dr. Ramchandra Krishnaswami Naidu who was an eye specialist, played a crucial role during the plague outbreak and made significant contributions to what was known as the Infectious Diseases (ID) Hospital.

Dr. Naidu was also an active member of Bal Gangadhar (Lokmanya) Tilak’s Swaraj Party and the Pune Municipal Council. Following these efforts, Pune’s first mayor, Baburao Sanas, renamed the ID Hospital to Naidu Hospital. The hospital has continued to lead in the treatment of infectious diseases both before and after India’s independence.