Mumbai: The One Stop Centre (OSC) at KEM Hospital has resumed full-fledged operations after functioning only partially for nearly a month due to staff shortages, following intervention by the civic-run hospital. Around 10 staff members, including counsellors and a lawyer, have been deputed to the centre, restoring services such as counselling, legal assistance, police facilitation and temporary shelter for women facing violence.
FPJ Report Highlighted Crisis After Survivor Faced Long Wait
On August 5, The Free Press Journal reported that the centre's limited functioning came to light after a 19-year-old sexual assault survivor had to wait nearly five hours before being shifted to the One Stop Women Centre (OSWC) in Jogeshwari for temporary shelter because the KEM facility lacked adequate staff.
After The Free Press Journal raised the issue with Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide on August 4 afternoon, she assured that the matter would be addressed and later confirmed that the civic administration was working to restore the centre's operations.
Civic Administration Intervenes To Restore Services
District Women and Child Development Officer Shobha Shelar said the Dean of KEM Hospital had assured her that the hospital would provide all necessary support to ensure the centre functioned smoothly.
Advocate Audrey D'Mello, Director of Majlis, who first highlighted the issue after finding that the centre was not fully operational, welcomed the development. "Around 10 staff members, including counsellors and a lawyer, have been deputed. This centre is a lifeline for women in distress. I thank everyone who took the initiative to restore its full functioning," she said.
The OSC, established under the Central Government's Mission Shakti programme in the aftermath of the 2012 Nirbhaya case, offers integrated support to women affected by violence, including medical care, legal aid, psychological counselling, police assistance and temporary shelter.
According to officials, the KEM centre faced a crisis after an NGO that supplemented the honorarium of counsellors withdrew from the project, leading to a shortage of trained personnel. The disruption not only affected shelter services but also reduced the number of cases handled by the centre from around 100-120 per month to nearly 30-40. Authorities expect the restored staffing to help the centre gradually return to its previous capacity.
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