Mumbai: Only after a two-month-old infant lost a portion of his left arm after sustaining severe burns in the paediatric intensive care unit of the King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEM) on November 7, has the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) been roused from its slumber. It has appointed interim administrators for its four major hospitals.
These bureaucrats will now be looking after the ‘non-medical’ responsibilities of these hospitals and will report to the deans of the respective hospitals.
On Tuesday, BMC commissioner Praveen Pardeshi appointed three interim chief executive officers (CEOs) for the KEM, RN Cooper, BYL Nair and Nair Dental and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Corporation hospitals.
“It has been decided to appoint CEOs for all major civic hospitals. However, the process of selecting full-term CEOs is under way. For now we have appointed three ward officers as an interim administrators,” said Pardeshi.
“The CEOs will directly report to the deans and will carry out all administrative work of the hospitals along with minor civil, mechanical and electrical-related repair works,” according to the circular issued by the BMC commissioner.
The BMC has also floated an advertisement seeking applications from qualified candidates for the position of CEO. The corporation is looking for candidates with Masters in Business Administration and has experience in handing health sector or hospitals.
“It would take at least three months to complete the hiring process. But till then, ward officers will take on the administrative responsibilities,” said Ashwini Joshi, additional municipal commissioner (health), BMC.
However, opposition leaders in the BMC are not pleased with this decision of the civic commissioner. “Usually, ward officers are unable to handle dual responsibilities.
Now, one officer is entrusted with several departments and hence will be unable to do justice to any of them,” said Vishakha Raut, leader of the opposition, Shiv Sena.
Interim administrators
Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner, G/ North ward, to look after KEM, Sion hospitals. Prashant Sakpale, assistant municipal commissioner, K/ East ward, to look after Cooper hospital.
Devidas Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner, P/ South ward, to look after BYL Nair and Nair Dental hospitals.