‘Despicable Treatment Of Patients At Cooper Hospital’: MLA Ameet Satam Seeks Staff Training, Infrastructure Upgrade

· Free Press Journal

Mumbai, August 28, 2026: The patients at the BMC-run Dr RN Cooper Hospital in Juhu are being treated in a despicable way and the hospital staff needs to be sensitised, said Mumbai BJP president and MLA Ameet Satam, calling for sensitisation, soft-skills training and capacity-building of all staff for improving their behaviour with patients. He also highlighted the urgency of overall health infrastructure.

In a letter to mayor Ritu Tawde and BMC chief Ashwini Bhide on Friday, Satam flagged concerns over the conduct of hospital staff and called for sensitisation, soft-skills training and capacity-building programmes for doctors, nurses, paramedical personnel, security staff and other employees. The letter came after his meeting with the Cooper Hospital dean and senior civic health officials.

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Equipment And Cancer Care

The MLA also further urged the BMC to expedite the installation of mobile and stationary X-ray machines, start the proposed chemotherapy centre immediately, deploy permanent security personnel and recruit adequate manpower, among others.

He added that Cooper Hospital had been deprived of digital radiography equipment for nearly two years due to delays in the tendering process.

"A tender was floated for Mobile digital radiography machines in September 2024 and subsequently due to only one bidder, the municipal commissioner at that time gave instructions for re-tendering in April 2025. However, the department did not re-tender and the issue was kept pending until March 2026 when decision was made to buy all medical equipment related material on GEM portal," Satam said, adding that even after the GEM portal decision, the department insisted on tender being awarded to the single bidder.

"As a result Cooper and Sion hospitals were deprived of the digital machines for two years. Immediate steps need to be taken to see to it that the same equipment is immediately brought in service and enquiry should be initiated for the delay," demanded Satam.

Staffing And Infrastructure

Satam also called for the proposed chemotherapy centre, for which a tender has already been floated, to be made operational at the earliest to cater to cancer patients, and arrangements be made for admitting out-born paediatric cases with a separate ward.

He also urged for adequate security personnel from the Maharashtra Security Force to be deployed on a permanent basis by October 1, 2026, and adequate manpower to be recruited in required departments within three months, including increase in the capacity of dialysis centre from current 6 to 20.

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Cleanliness And Upkeep

He also criticised the hospital’s cleanliness and upkeep, calling for a fresh housekeeping tender under the quality-cum-cost-based selection (QCBS) system, with stringent accountability clauses.

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