Bhiwandi IGM Hospital Relies On On-Call Gynaecologists For C-Sections, Raising Concerns Over Maternity Care Gaps

Bhiwandi: Maternity services at the Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Sub-District Hospital in Bhiwandi continue to rely on an on-call arrangement for Caesarean sections with the hospital currently lacking a permanently available gynaecologist for such procedures.

According to the hospital administration a private specialist is called in on an on-call basis whenever a Caesarean section is required. The government pays Rs 4,000 for each such procedure the administration said.

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The arrangement was disclosed by IGM Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Madhavi Pandhare Thursday during a visit by Bhiwandi MP Suresh Mhatre popularly known as Balya Mama. Dr Pandhare said that the hospital did not have a Caesarean facility around two years ago. The service was subsequently introduced with the help of on-call specialists amid a shortage of permanent gynaecologists.

Contractual appointment, but regular availability questioned

Questions have also been raised over the availability of a gynaecologist appointed on a contractual basis at the hospital. While a specialist has reportedly been engaged on contract, concerns have been raised over whether the doctor is regularly available for duty.

The issue is particularly significant in the maternity department, where timely access to a specialist can be crucial in case of complications during or after delivery.

Another concern is the monitoring of women following Caesarean sections. According to the information available, patients are kept in the labour ward under the supervision of MBBS doctors after surgery. While routine post-operative monitoring can be undertaken by medical officers, the immediate availability of a specialist is important if a serious complication develops.

Medical emergencies during childbirth can include excessive bleeding, hypertension-related complications and fetal distress, among other conditions. In such situations, delays in accessing specialist care can complicate treatment.

Repeated visits by elected representatives, but gaps remain

The IGM Hospital has witnessed visits by elected representatives, including MP Suresh Mhatre and the two local MLAs, who have reviewed the hospital’s functioning from time to time.

Despite these inspections, however, the shortage of specialist healthcare services remains an issue. The absence of a permanently available gynaecologist is among the key concerns in the maternity department.

The repeated visits have also raised questions over whether the concerns highlighted during inspections are being followed up with concrete measures. For patients, particularly women from economically weaker sections who depend on the government hospital, access to specialist care remains a key requirement.

Two-year stopgap arrangement

The hospital administration has stated that it has been seeking the appointment of specialist doctors from the government. However, the Caesarean service has continued to operate through an on-call arrangement for nearly two years.

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While calling specialists when required has enabled the hospital to provide the service, questions remain over whether such an arrangement can adequately substitute for the regular presence of a specialist in a maternity unit.

IGM Hospital caters to a large section of Bhiwandi’s population, making the availability of specialist doctors and essential medical infrastructure particularly important.

The immediate requirement is therefore not merely to maintain Caesarean services, but to ensure a consistent system in which pregnant women have access to qualified specialist care whenever required.

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