Navi Mumbai, Jan. 10: The labour ward at the Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) in Turbhe, operated by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), has remained shut for over a year due to a shortage of staff and doctors. Pregnant women from Turbhe are being referred to Vashi General Hospital or Nerul MCH for deliveries.
The hospital currently operates an Outpatient Department (OPD) with gynecological services and offers routine check-ups, sonography, blood tests, and other diagnostic facilities. However, the absence of a functional labour ward has disrupted childbirth services.
“A minimum of three additional doctors and support staff are required to restart the labour ward. The recruitment process is underway. Meanwhile, pregnant women requiring delivery are transported to other hospitals using the corporation’s ambulance service,” a health department doctor said.
History of Operational Challenges
Declared dilapidated in 2011, the hospital underwent repairs and resumed operations in 2020 as an OPD facility. It was upgraded to an MCH in 2021, with the labour ward functional for a brief period before being shut down again due to staffing issues.
Criticism of Civic Priorities
Former corporator Raju Shinde criticized the NMMC for prioritizing other projects over healthcare. “The corporation spends crores on unnecessary initiatives like ‘deep cleaning’ while neglecting critical health services,” Shinde said.
Residents are urging the NMMC to expedite staffing efforts to restore maternity services in Turbhe and address the growing healthcare concerns in the area.
