New Delhi (Agency): In response to the tragic loss of 18 patients within a 24-hour period on August 12 and 13, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, Thane, will undergo a structural audit. Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) chief Abhijit Bangar chaired a meeting where the decision was made, announcing plans for a complete overhaul of the hospital’s facilities and services.
The meeting discussed various aspects of the hospital, such as infrastructure, services, resident doctors’ hostel facilities, and the potential relocation of the Rajiv Gandhi Medical College currently on the premises. “While preparing plans for improvement of the facility, emphasis must be given to ease of use and flexibility in design,” said an official spokesperson.
The ambitious task to transform the hospital has been undertaken at the direction of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. “The Kalwa-based hospital needs radical changes,” noted a TMC release, adding that reforms have already begun in administration and operations, including the appointment of a new office superintendent, implementing biometric attendance, and recruiting additional nurses and specialist doctors.
Key aspects of the transformation include increasing the hospital’s bed capacity, making the outpatient department (OPD) more comfortable, decentralizing overcrowded departments, and optimizing doctors’ time. An electronic access control system is also part of the planned upgrades.
Once the Rajiv Gandhi Medical College is moved out, the hospital will gain more space. This transfer will happen to a 12-storey building currently under construction. “Work on the improvement of the hostel is likely to be completed by October 20, while work on the medical college building will take another five months,” the release quoted the commissioner as saying.
The tragic events at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital have acted as a catalyst for change, spurring civic authorities into action. The structural audit and ensuing upgrades aim not just to prevent future tragedies but also to significantly improve the standard of patient care and staff efficiency. Whether these steps will prove effective remains a crucial question for the hospital’s future and for the community it serves.