Parel's KEM Hospital to get 10 new registration counters, private MRI centres

Municipal officials have assured significant improvements in patient services at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMCrun King Edward Memorial KEM Hospital within the next 15 days including the establishment of 10 new registration counters and empanelment of private magnetic resonance imaging MRI centres at civicapproved rates reported PTIThe centuryold KEM Hospital located in Parel is one of Mumbairsquos largest medical facilities catering to thousands of patients daily from the city and across the countryThe assurances came during a joint review meeting at the BMC headquarters on Wednesday chaired by Maharashtra Cabinet member and Mumbairsquos coguardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party BJP President Amit Satam The meeting followed Lodharsquos inspection visit to the hospital earlier this weekAccording to a release from Lodharsquos office civic officials confirmed that a tender will soon be floated to allow patients to access MRI scans at private diagnostic centres at BMCapproved rates while the hospitalrsquos MRI machine is under repair This move is expected to reduce the current sixmonth waiting period for MRI scansThe BMC also assured that 10 additional registration counters will be set up to ease patient flow These measures are based on complaints and feedback raised by the minister during the meetingAddressing concerns over medicine shortages Lodha directed officials to maintain a twoyear stock of essential medicines which the civic body assured will be replenished promptlyA vigilance committee comprising citizen representatives will be formed under Lodharsquos leadership to monitor patient grievances and service delivery at the hospital reported PTILodha who holds portfolios for skill development employment entrepreneurship and innovation in the Mahayuti government emphasised that these steps are part of a broader initiative to improve services across civicrun hospitals in MumbaildquoThe corrupt and ineffective system built over the past 25 years by previous BMC administrations will soon be dismantled under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavisrsquo leadershiprdquo Lodha assertedSecurity to be heightened at Mumbais civic hospitalsIn the aftermath of the recent security lapse at Cooper Hospital wherein three doctors were assaulted by the kin of a patient after the latter was declared dead the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has initiated a systemwide review of safety protocols across all its hospitalsDeputy Municipal Commissioner Public Health Sharad Ughade in a meeting conducted late on Monday issued a formal communication to assistant security officers officials responsible for security at civic hospitals seeking detailed recommendations on security changes required at each hospital from peripheral to major civic hospitals across the cityHospital deans and medical superintendents have been directed to assess existing arrangements identify vulnerabilities and propose both immediate and longterm upgrades ldquoThe objective is to develop hospitalspecific security plans instead of a uniform model acknowledging that infrastructure patient load and spatial challenges vary significantly across BMC establishmentsrdquo Ughade told middayParallel discussions are underway on whether Maharashtra Security Force MSF personnel can be deployed if not at all at least at larger peripheral hospitals Currently MSF has a presence only at three major BMC hospitals mdash KEM Nair and Sion hospitals ldquoExtending its services is being considered as a measure to ensure trained and disciplined manpower at highfootfall facilities Feasibility cost implications and deployment logistics are being discussedrdquo Ughade addedIn addition all BMC hospitals have been instructed to maintain a weekly log of security lapses and submit compiled reports to the deputy municipal commissioner every month The move aims to create regular oversight improve accountability and enable datadriven decisions on security improvementsWith PTI inputs