4 hosps to get autopsy centres

MUMBAI: In an attempt to cut down the traumatic waiting time for a body, the state government is in the process of setting up four new post-mortem (PM) centres in the city.
Four peripheral hospitals Siddharth Hospital in Goregaon, Centenary Hospital in Govandi, Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivli and Mahatma Phule Hospital in Vikhroli will get PM centres.The state government has already given a no objection certificate (NOC) for setting up a PM centre at Siddharth and also earmarked a budget of Rs 3.5 crore for the refurbishment of the hospital and construction of the PM centre.
Till now, only Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle and Bhagwati Hospital in Borivli have autopsy centres. In the eastern suburbs, only Sion Hospital and Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar carry out post-mortems. The setting up of the four new PM centres at the peripheral hospitals will ease the load on the teaching hospitals that currently share the majority of the work.
Chief medical superintendent of peripheral hospitals, Dr Seema Malik, said that work on Shatabdi's redevelopment has already begun with a budget of Rs 45 crore being allocated to it. The setting up of the PM centre is a part of the redevelopment plan. "Soon, tenders will be opened for the PM centre projects at Siddharth, Govandi and Mahatma Phule hospitals. Work will begin after that,'' Dr Malik said. She added that the location for a PM centre at Siddharth had also been identified.
Associate professor of forensics at Sion Hospital, Dr Rajesh Dere, said, "The new PM centres will definitely ease the burden on the teaching hospitals. It will also speed up the procedure, thereby easing the pressure.'' He said that it was also important to provide the upcoming PM centres with qualified doctors. Dr Dere added that while the new PM centres would be beneficial in easing the burden, sensitive cases should be referred to one of the major hospitals.
According to Dr Malik, the setting up of the new PM centres will also cut down the confusion faced by families. "With the new PM centres, families will not have to shuttle between hospitals to obtain autopsy reports,'' she said. Dr Malik added that the decision to increase the number of PM centres was taken because in cases of mass tragedies, the four teaching hospitals and three peripheral hospitals with PM centres are over-burdened.