BMC Adds 790 Staff to Cooper, Trauma Hospitals

Mumbai's Cooper Hospital and HBT Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari are set to receive 790 additional staff members, addressing the long-standing shortage of doctors and healthcare workers.

The decision was made at a special meeting held at the Jogeshwari Trauma Hospital, attended by Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Health) Sharad Ughade, BMC health officials, and Shiv Sena (Shinde) MP Ravindra Waikar.

The BMC health department had not revised its staffing pattern since 2013, resulting in several vacant posts and affecting healthcare services. A new staffing pattern has been prepared, paving the way for the recruitment of additional staff.

The meeting also discussed expanding services at the Jogeshwari Trauma Hospital, including the introduction of a physiotherapy department and paediatric surgery services. The hospital is also expected to establish a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) soon.

Waikar expressed concern over the hospital's limited ICU beds and directed the civic administration to explore increasing the capacity to 100 beds. An 11-member special committee has been proposed to monitor hospital functioning and ensure better facilities for patients.

The meeting also discussed setting up generic medicine centres at around 50 BMC hospitals, aimed at making medicines available to patients at lower prices. The facility at Cooper Hospital has already been completed, while the centre at the Trauma Hospital is expected to become operational soon.

Meanwhile, the BMC is targeting completion of the 150-bed maternity hospital at Oshiwara by December 2026. The plan for a maternity hospital at Scotts Colony has also been finalised, with a tender expected to be floated shortly.

The addition of staff and expansion of services at Cooper and Trauma hospitals is expected to improve healthcare services in Mumbai. The BMC's efforts to increase staffing and upgrade facilities will likely have a positive impact on the city's healthcare system.

The move is significant, as it addresses the long-standing issue of staff shortages in Mumbai's public hospitals. The expansion of services and introduction of new facilities will also enhance the overall quality of healthcare in the city.