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.