The Indian Express 13.12.2013
BMC plans to increase neonatal beds in its hospitals
The BMC has proposed to increase the number of neonatal beds in its
three major hospitals — KEM, Nair and Sion hospital and 16 peripheral
hospitals in the city in the next fiscal year. The civic body also plans
to provide 25 beds more to one maternity ward each in all zones of the
city.
The proposal, which was put forth in a standing committee
Thursday, will be implemented after the civic body’s budget session in
March next year.
“As per a recent gap analysis, it has been found that 30 per cent
of the children who need neonatal care come from Mumbai Metropolitan
Region (MMR). We have asked the state government to also augment the
number of NICU (neo-natal intensive care unit) centres in those
regions,” said additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar.
The issue was raised in the meeting after the Deonar maternity
centre was vacated recently. The centre, which was in a dilapidated
condition, was closed down and all the patients were transferred to a
centre in Gowandi-Shatapdi.
“The whole zone had just one maternity centre, which is also
closed now. Today, if a child is born in Mulund and needs NICU care, the
parents are instructed to go to Sion by themselves, when the transit
period is crucial. Three of ten children born in the city today need
NICU because of premature birth or breathing problems. This facility is
not only expensive, it is also not available in most of the hospitals,”
said corporator Rais Shaikh of Samajwadi Party.