Mumbai: Peripheral hospitals to lift load off major civic hospitals

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The four civic hospitals are bursting at the seams and the issue of overcrowding has affected the intensive care unit (ICU) as well, with several patients having to wait in the corridors of the hospital due to lack of additional ventilators. Hoping to finally remedy the situation, the BMC is once again attempting to strengthen the peripheral hospitals with the aim to reduce the load on Sion, KEM, Nair and Cooper hospitals.

Like his predecessors, Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani has directed the health department officials to chart out a detailed plan, which he said will be finalised next month. "The capacity of major civic hospitals is full and there is no space for more ICU beds or ventilators. We are going to develop the peripheral hospitals and will encourage people to visit their nearest peripheral hospitals instead of going to the major hospitals," said Kakani.

Shortage of functional ventilators, lack of medical personnel and unavailability of medicines are all common complaints at the 16 peripheral hospitals in the city, health posts and dispensaries run by BMC. While his predecessors have all failed to improve the state of these medical facilities, Kakani is confident that the latest plan will be effective. Kakani said they are "planning to increase the number of ventilators at peripheral hospitals" and will work in a "phased manner".

Facilities at the peripheral hospitals farthest away from the major civic hospitals will be improved first. "The services at the peripheral hospitals will be strengthened so that people suffering from diseases like malaria, or fracture that requires medical attention but isn't life threatening can be treated there," he said. The cost of the upgradation will be finalised before the annual civic budget, he added. Apart from improving the peripheral hospitals, the civic body is planning to appoint medical officers for all the dispensaries.

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