BMC appoints interim CEO for city's four civic hospitals

Prince Rajbhar's left arm, which was badly burnt in a fire in the KEM ICU last week, was amputated on Monda

In the aftermath of the fire that broke out in the intensive care unit of KEM hospital which cost a 2.5-year-old baby his arm, the civic body appointed interim chief executive officers to improve the functioning of the city's four super-specialty hospitals.

Based on the circular issued by the civic body, Kiran Dighavkar, assistant commissioner of G North ward has been appointed as the interim CEO for KEM and Sion Hospital, Prashant Sapkale, assistant commissioner of K East ward for Cooper Hospital and Devidas Kshirsagar, assistant commissioner of P South ward for Nair and Nair Dental Hospital. These civic officials will hold the charge until the positions are permanently filled by individuals who have completed an MBA and have some experience in administrative responsibilities.

The notice also mentioned that the CEOs would report to the deans of the respective hospitals and the engineering and they would be responsible for carrying out administrative matters of the hospitals along with minor civil, mechanical and electrical related repairs. The administrative wings of the hospital would in turn report to the CEO. The CEOs will have to dedicate a day every week to oversee the work at the hospitals. The decision was taken during the general body meeting after corporators protested over repeated accidents in civic hospitals.

Certain corporators, however, have opposed the idea of involving non-civic professionals in the functioning of BMC-run hospitals. Opposition leader and Congress corporator Ravi Raja promised to take the issue up in the group leaders' meeting to be held on Wednesday.

He said, "We shouldn't have professionals from the private sector for a job he or she has little understanding of. Appointing the assistant commissioners too doesn't make sense since they already have too much on their plate. Instead, an executive engineer should be responsible for administrative duties."

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