The BMC is all set to run a dedicated paediatric ward at the Sewri TB hospital after a gap of more than four years. Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr Sanjeev Kumar said the ward will be opened soon. Asia’s biggest civic-run hospital can handle 1,000 patients at a time, but since late 2018, paediatric TB patients haven’t been treated there.
On September 23, 2018, a huge drama took place after a few parents discontinued the treatment of their children midway, alleging that nurses and other staff misbehaved with patients. After which then-Additional Municipal Commissioner I A Kundan made a surprise visit to the hospital on September 27 and found that some nurses were rude. After this, one nurse was suspended, three were transferred and a show-cause notice was issued to ten others. After this, the treatment of paediatric patients was discontinued. Later, the hospital underwent major repair work. The BMC signed an MOU with Wadia Hospital to treat paediatric patients and patients are referred to the hospital, but it is limited to Mumbai patients.