Patients visiting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital and Medical College in Sion for heart-related tests will get a major relief from the availability of new 2D Cardiography and Colour Doppler machines, the civic body said on Thursday in an official statement.
Two ‘2D Cardiography and Colour Doppler’ machines have been made available from the MPLAD (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Division) fund of former Rajya Sabha lawmaker Dr Kumar Ketkar, the statement read.
The availability of the machines will help in reducing the waiting period for testing of patients related to heart disease. The plant in the Department of Cardiology was inaugurated on Thursday by Ketkar, said BMC.
Dr Mohan Joshi and Dr Pratap Nathani, from the hospital`s Department of Cardiology, were also present at the inauguration.
On an average, 100 to 150 patients are examined daily at the cardiology department. The newly available plants will enable more day-to-day eco-tests. These machines will be useful for testing of heart disease, heart attack, heart valve disease, and cataract, BMC said.
One of the available 2D Cardiography and Colour Doppler plants will be kept for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The Mumbai civic body stated that with the availability of these plants, it will be possible to provide immediate treatment to the patients admitted for heart diseases.
Trans-esophageal Echo Probe
The Mumbai civic body in its statement also highlighted that a `Trans-esophageal Echo Probe` has been made available along with the plant for diagnosis in very complex tests related to heart disorders. With this advanced technology, it is possible to test the back of the heart, BMC said. It will also be possible to conduct 3D Echo, Trans-Esophageal Echo etc tests at affordable prices and the process will reduce the waiting time of patients for testing.
In its official release, the Mumbai civic body also mentioned that these units will be an important part of the academic curriculum for resident doctors studying cardiology at Lokmanya Tilak Medical College. These plants will be useful in medical education as well as in healthcare.
BMC Budget 2025: More beds, clinics, and PPP model in Rs 7,380.44 crore health budget
BMC has announced an ambitious Rs 7,380.44 crore health budget for the financial year 2025-26, making up around 10 per cent of the total civic budget of Rs 74,427.41 crore. With a focus on improving healthcare accessibility and infrastructure, the budget aims to expand hospital capacities, introduce new medical initiatives, and enhance public health programmes. For the fiscal year 2025-26, Rs 5,207.70 crore has been earmarked for operational healthcare expenses (Revenue Budget), while Rs 2,172.73 crore is designated for capital investment in healthcare infrastructure.
“With a robust budgetary allocation and strategic expansion of healthcare services, BMC’s 2025-26 Health Budget aims to make Mumbai’s public health system more accessible, affordable, and efficient. From expanding hospital capacities to introducing cutting-edge medical programmes, we are taking significant strides towards universal healthcare coverage for all Mumbaikars,” said BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani Bed capacity expansion
Mumbai currently has 15,302 beds in government hospitals and 31,076 beds in private hospitals. As part of BMC’s hospital redevelopment plan, an additional 3,515 beds will be added, bringing the total bed availability to 49,893. “To cater to the rising suburban population, speciality and super-speciality services will be expanded, with a focus on ICU and neonatal care through private sector partnerships,” Gagrani said.
‘Aapla Dawakhana’ initiative
The Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Aapla Dawakhana network, BMC’s flagship initiative offering free medical consultation, medicines, and diagnostic services, claims to have significantly benefited 90 lakh patients so far. Currently, there are 250 Aapla Dawakhana centres, including 33 polyclinics and diagnostic centres. BMC plans to add 25 more centres and establish three new physiotherapy centres in the next financial year.
These centres provide free consultations from specialists such as ENT doctors, gynaecologists, paediatricians, dermatologists, and ophthalmologists, along with affordable diagnostic services like X-rays, mammography, ECG, CT scans, and MRIs through a voucher system with private labs. “Additionally, mobile clinics have been introduced in remote areas like Aarey Colony and M/East ward,” Gagrani said.
Public-Private Partnership
“To enhance healthcare accessibility while reducing operational costs, BMC is implementing a PPP model. Under this initiative, private institutions will be invited for long-term operation and maintenance of hospitals and health centres. This model aims to minimise out-of-pocket expenses for patients while ensuring sustainable healthcare operations,” Gagrani said.
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