Mumbai Ailing Hospitals Part 11: Sion Hospital Struggles With Medicine Shortages, Overcrowding & Equipment Failures

Mumbai: Danish Shaikh, a relative of a patient, shared a distressing experience involving his 67-yearold aunt, Noor Shaikh, who suffers from kidney disease. “We had to purchase medicines worth Rs7,000 from outside the hospital because they were unavailable there,” he said.

Visiting the hospital at night and lacking sufficient funds, Shaikh was forced to borrow money from fellow visitors, which he could return only the next day. “I was completely uncertain about what to do,” he added. Another patient, Manoj Singh, echoed similar frustrations: “Whatever medicines doctors prescribe are not available here. We are forced to buy expensive drugs from private medical shops. Getting treated in Sion Hospital now feels like going to a private hospital.”

Such incidents are becoming alarmingly common, as the hospital frequently runs out of essential medicines, compelling patients to buy costly drugs from outside. Such incidents are becoming increasingly common at the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital (LTMGH), also known as Sion Hospital, the second-largest hospital run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Problems Faced By Sion Hospital

The hospital is grappling with a deepening crisis that is severely affecting patient care. The hospital serves as a critical healthcare hub for millions, handling 22 lakh patients annually and 5,000 to 6,500 daily outpatient department (OPD) visits, peaking at 7,500 during monsoons. However, medicine shortages, overcrowded wards, equipment failures, and unhygienic conditions are pushing patients and their families to the brink.

An anonymous official from the civic administration admitted that the BMC has not yet received new medicine stocks, forcing the hospital to manage with dwindling supplies. “The hospital is somehow managing with the old stock and distributing whatever is available,” the official said, adding that fresh supplies are expected soon. However, the delay continues to leave patients in distress. Sion Hospital’s challenges extend beyond medicine shortages.

Overcrowding Remains An Issue

Overcrowding is a persistent issue, with its 1,900 beds insufficient to accommodate the massive patient load. In medicine wards 6, 7, and 20, designated for male and female patients, two patients often share a single bed, while others are accommodated on mattresses laid out on the floor. On one occasion, a ward designed for 40–50 patients housed 105, making proper sanitation nearly impossible.

Sumit Dhar, a relative of a patient, said, “My relative feels very uncomfortable. I can barely reach the bedside — there’s hardly any space to walk between the beds.” Dirty beds, soiled linen, and insufficiently cleaned toilets and common areas further exacerbate hygiene concerns, raising the risk of infections. As a tertiary care centre, Sion Hospital attracts patients from Mumbai’s densely populated areas like Kurla, Chembur, Dharavi, Dadar, Matunga, Bandra, Ghatkopar, Mulund, and Govandi, as well as from surrounding districts like Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Raigad.

An administrative official, speaking anonymously, noted that despite Thane having its own chief minister for over two years, public hospitals there remain underdeveloped, funneling patients to Sion Hospital for specialized care. “The hospital has specialised medical care, advanced treatment facilities, and experienced doctors,” the official said, underscoring its critical role. Yet, patients report a starkly different experience.

Equipment Failures

Equipment failures add to the hospital’s woes. One of its two MRI machines is non-functional, leaving a single machine to handle both admitted and emergency cases. Patients face appointment delays of two to three months, with some redirected to Eknath Gaikwad Hospital in Dharavi, known as “Chhota Sion.”

Dr. Mohan Joshi, the hospital’s dean, claimed that all MRI machines are currently functional, but patients continue to face delays. CT scans, outsourced, require patients to queue early in the morning for appointment dates, adding to their inconvenience. The hospital’s blood bank has also drawn criticism. Previously fined for failing to update its stock on the SBTC website, it struggles to provide blood for nearly 280 thalassemia patients who require regular transfusions.

“There is a perennial shortage of blood, even though the hospital has a dedicated thalassemia unit… Private blood banks also refuse to provide blood free of cost, in violation of government policy,” said a health activist.

Despite increasing blood collection over the past three years, mismanagement persists. The hospital’s basement, filled with trash, discarded medical materials, and broken furniture, poses a serious safety hazard. Blocked pathways and flammable materials could hinder emergency evacuations, highlighting administrative negligence.

Despite these challenges, Sion Hospital remains a vital healthcare provider, performing 400 surgeries, 100 endoscopies, and 10 angiographies daily. Its OPD, operating from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm, serves a wide range of specialities, but the strain on resources demands urgent reform to restore its ability to deliver quality care.

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