BMC Panel Inspects Cooper Hospital: Services to Be Upgraded in 3 Months
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has assured that all services at Dr. R. N. Cooper Municipal General Hospital in Vile Parle will be streamlined within the next three months. On September 11, 2025, a senior supervisory committee led by Deputy Commissioner (Public Health) Sharad Ughade, Director of Medical Education Dr. Neelam Andrade, and Nair Hospital Dean Dr. Shailesh Mohite carried out a day-long inspection of the hospital.
The committee reviewed patient care, medical services, and cleanliness across various departments, while also engaging with faculty members, department heads, and hospital staff. Appointed under the guidance of the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs), the panel has been tasked with implementing corrective measures and restoring smooth hospital operations.
According to the civic body, patients reported that registration, treatment, and medicine supply systems had normalized. Relatives also noted marked improvements in hygiene and confirmed that the earlier rodent menace had been fully eliminated. Mumbai BJP president and Andheri West MLA Amit Satam, who was present during the inspection, announced that the hospital would receive necessary funds and equipment.
“All systems will be upgraded within three months. Contractual employees whose terms have expired will be retained, and the process for permanent recruitment will begin,” he said. Cooper Hospital, a key civic-run facility and teaching institution, recently faced criticism over staff shortages, poor biomedical waste management, and a rat infestation.
Among the issues reviewed were the long queues at the Outpatient Department (OPD). To reduce patient load, procedures will be simplified and OPD hours extended. Non-performing housekeeping contractors have been served show-cause notices and fines, while stricter terms will be included in upcoming tenders.
To tackle the rodent problem, the administration has begun repairs in ceilings, ducts, and other vulnerable areas, while rat guards will be installed on drainage pipes. Measures are also being introduced to curb food wastage. Hospital security will undergo a full audit after reports of misconduct by some personnel. These concerns were recently highlighted in The Free Press Journal’s investigative series, “Ailing Hospital.”
Several infrastructure upgrades are also in progress. A new chemotherapy center will be operational within three months, tenders are being floated to increase MICU bed capacity, and the procurement process for an MRI machine is nearing completion. Additionally, the hospital’s hyperbaric oxygen therapy unit has already been commissioned.
