In order to transform infrastructure and reinforce manpower at city hospitals, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) granted Rs 3636.82 crore for the health sector, in its annual budget for the year 2018-2019. Of the total amount, 34.65 per cent has been utilized the civic body till December 2018.

Last year, around 41 per cent of the health budget was used, which is more than this year's budget's utilisation. Most of the repair work has started and is going on phase-wise. Besides, this there will be an increase in the number of nursing staff.

Around Rs 1.05 crore was assigned for repair work of around 25 dispensaries across the city.

Speaking about the repair work on dispensaries and special BMC hospitals, Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer from BMC's public health department, said, "We have identified four dispensaries as a pilot project to repair it in a certain way out of which one of the dispensary is repaired completely. Work on others is going on. Upgradation of maternity homes and health post are in pipeline and will begin soon."

Keskar, added, "The repair work of Group of TB Hospital and Acworth Municipal Hospital of Leprosy has already begun."

Hemant Deshmukh, dean of KEM Hospital and director of civic-run hospitals, said, "The repair work has started in KEM Hospital, Sion Hospital. The repair work will take time as it is planned in different phases. We might increase the number of beds."

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors has written a letter to the deans of civic and government-run hospitals to constitute a panel to address health budget issues.