Mumbai, July 2, 2026: The Maharashtra Government has admitted that the Department of Medicine at the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari is functioning with only six Medical Officers against a sanctioned strength of 17, following the resignation of two doctors in March this year.
The disclosure came in a written reply to a Starred Question in the Maharashtra Legislative Council after MLCs Pravin Darekar, Prasad Lad and other members raised concerns over an acute shortage of doctors, delays in treatment and inadequate patient facilities at the civic-run hospital.
In its reply, the government said the shortage is being managed by deploying Medical Officers from other departments to the Medicine Department on a rotational basis to ensure that patient services continue without disruption.
Doctor Shortage Acknowledged
The legislators had questioned whether the shortage had resulted in delays in examinations and treatment. The government admitted that patients and their relatives have made verbal complaints regarding delays in receiving timely treatment.
However, it maintained that available doctors continue to provide services and that blood tests, conducted through the BMC-appointed agency Lifeinity, along with X-ray and sonography examinations, are being carried out on time.
The issue had earlier been highlighted by The Free Press Journal, which published a series of reports on the shortage of doctors and the prolonged non-functioning of the hospital's CT scan machine.
The members also alleged that the hospital's healthcare services had virtually collapsed due to inadequate manpower and malfunctioning equipment.
They claimed that the 200-bed hospital receives between 500 and 1,000 OPD patients daily, admits around 100 patients every day and performs four to five surgeries daily.
Government Clarifies Position
Rejecting the allegation, the government clarified that the hospital has 266 beds, receives 500 to 750 outpatients daily, admits approximately 25 to 30 patients each day and continues to perform various surgeries regularly.
The government also confirmed that the CT scan machine has remained out of service since April 25, 2026, and is under repair. Until it is restored, patients requiring CT scans are being referred to Cooper Hospital, with ambulance transportation provided by the hospital.
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To address the shortage of medical personnel, the government said the hospital has also engaged doctors on a contractual basis. It further stated that doctors' attendance is monitored through a biometric system and that no instance of habitual absenteeism has been found.
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