BMC to invest Rs 150 crore in city's peripheral hospitals to upgrade services

As per the proposal, a major boost would be provided for recruiting as many as 573 medical staffers

Representation pic

To provide a major boost to the city's 16 peripheral hospitals, the BMC is going to invest a whopping Rs 150 crore. An administrative proposal has been sent to the higher authorities for approval that would focus on hiring over 550 medical staffers, buying essential machineries for uplifting the health services at these hospitals, in order to decrease the pressure on tertiary-level hospitals.

As per the proposal, a major boost would be provided for recruiting as many as 573 medical staffers. The focus for the hires and machines would be on the departments of radiology, pathology, microbiology and blood transfusion. As per the proposal, BMC has also planned to hire 19 occupational therapists to help accident victims get back on their feet.

For all additional posts, BMC has proposed to spend an additional of around Rs 50 crore. To procure additional plants and machines, BMC has proposed a budget of Rs 106 crore. "This year, we already have a budget of R61 crore for purchasing machines which can be used on a two-year basis," confirmed an officer.

The proposal has already been approved by the various departments and is just waiting for the final nod. "Once we get the final clearance, we would publish advertisements for hiring. We have also procured over 200 ventilation beds to distribute among the peripheral and major hospitals," said Dr Avinash Supe, dean of KEM and director of major hospitals.

Welcoming the move, Dr Aruna Mehra, a health rights activist said, "It is essential to make these 16 hospitals self-sufficient to make the health system stronger."

16
No. of peripheral hospitals in the city

Also read: Mumbai: Salary of BMC-run hospitals' staffers cut due to faulty biometric machines

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!