Mira Bhayandar: More than five years after taking over the 200-bedded Bharat Ratna Bhimsen Joshi Civil (Tembha) Hospital from the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC), state government authorities have neither established a blood bank nor a blood storage unit at the medical institution.
This is the only government-run general hospital in the region, serving a population of over 14 lakh citizens in the twin-city and attending to patients from the Vasai-Virar belt and other adjoining areas. In case of need, the hospital has no choice but to source blood from external providers. The hospital has partnered with the municipal blood bank in Mira Road for caesarean deliveries of pregnant women under the Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY).
Blood storage unit to come up shortly: Civil surgeon
"The civil work for setting up a blood storage unit is in its advanced stages, and with final approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the facility will become functional next month," said Dr. Zafar Tadvi, the civil surgeon. When contacted, local legislator Geeta Jain said, "Apart from obtaining approval for the storage unit, I have already submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Public Health and Family Welfare for the establishment of a full-fledged blood bank at the hospital."
There has been a significant increase in the number of patients seeking treatment and diagnostic services at the hospital. A quick look at the official registry reveals that, in addition to providing medical care to 45,529 Out-Patient Department (OPD) visitors, 328 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients, and 3,057 In-Patient Department (IPD) patients, the hospital has conducted 184 major and 693 minor surgeries between April 2023 and July 2023. These surgeries include 26 general, 24 orthopedic, 48 laparoscopic tubal ligation, and 82 lower-section caesarean section procedures.
In addition to a chemotherapy wing and a blood storage unit, the hospital is planning to establish an ophthalmic operation theater for cataract removal surgeries.
Due to the substantial administrative expenses required to operate the medical institution, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) requested the state government to assume control of the hospital. Consequently, state government authorities took over the management of the hospital in 2018.
