Civic-run hospitals to shed unhygienic image?

Asaullah Siddique, whose son is being treated at KEM hospital

BMC-run health facilities are frequently criticised for the lack of hygiene; however, things seem to be changing. The city's new additional municipal commissioner (health), Sudhakar Shinde, has made it his mission to oversee cleanliness in civic-run facilities.

Shinde has made more than a hundred visits to various BMC health facilities in a period of two months. These also include major hospitals like King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, BYL Nair General Hospital, Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital and Cooper hospital.

mid-day earlier reported on how Shinde has been conducting surprise checks of health facilities BMC hospitals function at their full capacity all throughout the year, with the total number of beds in these medical institutions being 12,462. Patients from across the state visit the facilities in the hope of better treatment.

Asaullah Siddique has been at the hospital for the last 10 days to avail of treatment for his 10-year-old boy. "Overall treatment and hygiene have been satisfactory. I have seen sanitation work being carried out even at midnight," he said.

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"Shinde visited (KEM) after midnight on August 10. During the visit to ward no. 37, on the third floor, it was found that a lot of resources were deployed to look after cleanliness. The fans in the ward were being cleaned and dust was being removed from walls, toilets, windows, balconies and the stairs," a BMC health department official said.