Mumbai: Brushing aside objections from residents and health activists, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has gone ahead with its plan to outsource critical care services and invited e-tenders for operating a 22-bedded Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at HBT Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari (East).
Contract plan
The tender proposes outsourcing intensivist services for a period of two years, while the ownership of the hospital infrastructure will continue to vest with the civic body. According to the tender document, the move is part of BMC’s strategy to strengthen and operationalise MICU facilities through private service providers with proven experience in intensive care.
Under the proposal, the selected contractor will be responsible for running the MICU round the clock, ensuring uninterrupted services 24×7×365 days, including Sundays and public holidays. Civic officials said the primary objective of outsourcing is to provide quality intensive care to middle-class, needy and economically weaker patients at nominal rates, not exceeding the prevailing BMC charges.
Eligibility rule
The eligibility criteria mandate that the service provider must have at least two years’ prior experience in providing intensivist services for MICU, SICU or EMS units. The contractor will also have to deploy a total of 12 Resident Medical Officers (RMOs), comprising six Assistant RMOs and six Senior RMOs, working in rotational shifts. Each shift—morning (7 am to 3 pm), evening (3 pm to 11 pm) and night (11 pm to 7 am)—must include two Assistant RMOs and two Senior RMOs.
Assistant RMOs are required to hold MBBS degrees with ICU experience and proficiency in procedures such as intubation and central line insertion. Senior RMOs must possess postgraduate qualifications such as MD or DNB in General Medicine, Anaesthesia or Respiratory Medicine, or relevant diplomas in emergency or critical care disciplines. The tender explicitly states that Assistant RMOs cannot work without supervision, and Senior RMOs must ensure proper implementation of prescribed treatment.
Emergency cover
In emergencies, the service provider must be able to deploy four additional doctors immediately, if directed by the hospital’s Medical Superintendent or Senior Medical Officer. The contract includes stringent penalty clauses for absenteeism, with “No Work, No Pay” deductions and an additional penalty of ₹1,000 per bed per shift. Absenteeism exceeding 10 consecutive shifts can attract a penalty of ₹1 lakh for 10 beds, along with the risk of contract termination or blacklisting.
Health activists, however, have expressed serious concerns, citing past instances where contractors allegedly deployed doctors with fake certificates. They argue that outsourcing essential services could weaken public healthcare accountability. Civic officials, meanwhile, maintain that the decision is aimed at ensuring consistent, high-quality critical care amid staff shortages in municipal hospitals.
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