Mumbai: Mumbai city will get its second One-Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC) in the campus of the state-run Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy (JJ) Hospital, which will provide shelter and support for the women and children who are victims of violence.
The proposal has been approved by the women and child welfare department and it comes after the King Edward Memorial Hospital started its OSCC in November.
The new centre will start by next month for which the hospital administration have designated a place where civil work will start soon. This centre will remain open 24x7.
“The centre would be designed as the state-of-the-art facility, which will have psychiatrist, gynecologist, medicine experts, and their privacy will be taken care of as all procedures from counselling and medical tests to police examination will be done under one roof,” said Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, JJ Hospital.
Dr Saple said they will also start the existing centre located in Bandra which is not functional for a long period. “We have asked the government to start both centres immediately as it will benefit many and will reduce patients load.
We will also create an awareness so that everyone should know there are such centres that are working for women and children,” she added.
The hospital also has a centre for acid attack victims that has been functional for the past six months. “Psychiatric counselling is crucial in such cases.
Doctors from the forensic department also come to gather evidence, and then there is the aspect of providing legal advice to victims as well as social support. We will ensure that all aspects are covered at the centre,” said Dr Abhijit Joshi, media coordinator of the hospital.
He said the Collector and district women and child welfare officer will supervise the OSCC and seek assistance from non-governmental organisations for the victims’ rehabilitation and employment.
