V N Desai Hospital Medical Superintendent served notice over administrative lapses

Mumbai: The medical superintendent of V N Desai Hospital, Santacruz, has been served a show-cause notice by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over multiple allegations, including the failure to detect a fake doctor working in the ICU for two years, poor management, inadequate infrastructure, irregular functioning of critical departments, and alleged professional misconduct.

In the notice, the BMC asked Dr Jairaj Acharya to explain several lapses, including medical negligence and administrative mismanagement under his supervision. The civic body is also planning to transfer Dr Acharya to Bhagwati Hospital in Borivali and appoint a senior doctor from an eastern suburb hospital to head V N Desai Hospital.

This action follows complaints to several health activists to the State Human Rights Commission and the civic administration. The complaints highlighted serious issues, including a non-functional blood bank, irregular ENT, ophthalmology, and paediatric services, and frequent disruptions in essential medicines, X-ray, CT scan, and operation theatre facilities.

Also read- Maharashtra Medical Council issues notice to BMC Hospital Superintendent over uproar

According to the activists, these problems have forced patients to seek treatment in private hospitals, adding to their financial burden. Following the complaints, senior civic officials inspected the hospital and found major irregularities, prompting the BMC to take action.

As a result, the corporation decided to transfer Dr. Acharya, who was allegedly involved in the irregularities. The complainants accused him of repeatedly ignoring warnings about unsafe hospital conditions, failing to maintain discipline among staff, and allowing shortages of essential tests and HIV kits.

“He was reportedly complicit in an ICU scam involving a fake doctor, halted critical services such as USG and the blood bank without providing alternatives, and protected favourites despite repeated complaints. These lapses have delayed crucial testing, forced patients to seek private care, and caused chaos in hospital operations, severely compromising patient safety,” one of the activists told Free Press Journal.

Notably, the hospital has faced scrutiny in the past under Dr. Acharya’s leadership. Medical Dialogues earlier reported that the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) had issued a notice to him following a complaint about a woman’s death four days after childbirth, which led to a protest by her family at the hospital. The incident occurred last November when the situation escalated during a heated exchange, with the doctor allegedly snatching and smashing a mobile phone belonging to one of the family members who was recording the confrontation.

In another recent incident, a senior contractual doctor who worked in the ICU ward of V N Desai Hospital, Santacruz, for nearly two years, was found to be a fake doctor and unregistered with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC). The individual, identified as Dr Sawant Bharat Chandrakant, was working as a registrar in the Intensive Care Unit on a contractual basis since late 2022 with forged documents. He was appointed through Sai Sanjeevani Agency, a manpower contractor hired by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Also read- Fake Doctor Found Working at Mumbai Hospital ICU for 2 years