Mumbai: Shubhangi Khot, a resident of Ratnagiri, arrived at King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Parel (East) with her ailing brother, hoping for immediate admission to the Medicine ward. Wandering from one department to another, she faced a grim reality: all beds were occupied due to the heavy influx of patients during the monsoon season. Desperate and exhausted, Khot found herself among hundreds of families from across Maharashtra and neighbouring states confronting similar challenges at one of Asia’s largest public healthcare institutions.
KEM: Overwhelmed by Patient Volume
KEM Hospital, often regarded as a lifeline for lakhs of patients, handles an immense workload every year approximately 18.74 lakh outpatient visits, more than 65,000 admissions and over 70,000 medical procedures. Yet, despite its critical role in the region’s healthcare ecosystem, the hospital has struggled to keep pace with rising demand, exposing systemic gaps in infrastructure, staffing, and resource management. The hospital currently has 2,250 beds, with plans underway to expand to 2,500 beds by adding 300 more.
Mumbai’s KEM Hospital Grapples With Overcrowding, Infrastructure Decay And Staff Shortages Amid Rising Patient Demand | FPJ Photo
Patients From Across Maharashtra
Sachin Padwal, a former corporator from F South Ward (Parel and Lalbaug), who regularly visits KEM to assist patients, highlighted the difficulties faced by those coming from distant districts. “Many patients come from Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Palghar, and even other states. Since the hospital is so large, navigating between departments can be confusing, and securing a bed in the Medicine ward often feels like winning a war,” he said. While Padwal helps patients who approach him, he noted that many families remain unaware of such assistance and must navigate the complex hospital system on their own.
Currently, the hospital’s Medicine wards accommodate roughly 700 beds. However, due to the overwhelming patient load, two patients are frequently forced to share a single bed, and in some cases, additional beds are squeezed into narrow spaces between existing ones. A recent visit to the ward revealed makeshift beds set up in cramped areas, raising concerns about patient comfort and safety. Padwal emphasised the urgent need to expand the hospital’s capacity to meet rising demand.
Mumbai’s KEM Hospital Grapples With Overcrowding, Infrastructure Decay And Staff Shortages Amid Rising Patient Demand | FPJ Photo
Deteriorating Infrastructure
Among the most pressing issues at KEM Hospital is the deteriorating infrastructure. Heavy rains in May 2025 flooded critical areas, including the paediatric ICU and diagnostic units, forcing families and critically ill patients to wade through ankle-deep water. Many wards, some nearly a century old and protected under heritage rules, suffer from cracked ceilings, exposed rods, and water seepage. Movable scaffolding has become a common sight in several wards, highlighting the precarious condition of the hospital’s structures and raising serious concerns about patient safety.
Diagnostic facilities at KEM Hospital are also under strain. The hospital’s CT scan machine is currently non-functional, leaving patients with the stark choice of waiting for two months or arranging tests at external centres. Nazia Sayad, a resident of Byculla, expressed frustration after being informed of the two-month wait for a scan. “How can a patient wait for two months when immediate treatment is required?” she asked, ultimately registering for a CT scan elsewhere. Padwal added that breakdowns of the CT scan machine are frequent, compelling patients to spend a minimum of Rs 2,000 for tests outside the hospital.
Mumbai’s KEM Hospital Grapples With Overcrowding, Infrastructure Decay And Staff Shortages Amid Rising Patient Demand | FPJ Photo
Lone MRI Machine Overburdened
Similarly, the hospital’s lone MRI machine is overburdened, often requiring patients, particularly non-emergency cases, to wait up to four months. Emergency, ICU, and trauma cases are prioritised, further extending the waiting period for routine scans. Although the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to procure additional MRI machines under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, these upgrades are still pending. Patients seeking timely diagnostics may need to consider affiliated diagnostic centers, some of which offer subsidized services under BMC guidelines.
Medicine shortages have compounded patient hardships. Essential drugs, including antibiotics and painkillers, along with medical consumables such as gloves and cotton, frequently run out. Families often from low-income backgrounds are forced to purchase these items privately. While a chemist shop operates within the hospital premises, it is frequently crowded, whereas free medicine counters remain relatively underutilized. Vinayak Patil, a relative of a patient, recounted his frustration when two prescribed medicines were unavailable: “I was asked to buy these medicines from outside,” he said. Such shortages not only increase patient expenses but also delay treatment.
KEM Hospital Overwhelmed by Daily Patient Footfall
KEM Hospital’s daily footfall around 6,000 outpatients and nearly 180 admissions often overwhelms its systems. Families frequently report getting lost between departments, facing long queues, and encountering helpdesks without staff assistance. Observations during a recent visit revealed that several helpdesks, despite being equipped with computers, microphones, and other facilities, remained unattended, leaving patients without guidance.
Staff shortages have further exacerbated the hospital’s challenges. The issue has intensified in recent weeks, leading to protests by Class IV employees, including ward boys. According to the Municipal Mazdoor Union, the contracts of 421 outsourced workers expired on August 15, and delays in appointing replacements have left existing employees overburdened. Many ward boys are now working double shifts, resulting in fatigue and stress that directly affect patient care.
Pradeep Narkar, joint general secretary of the Municipal Mazdoor Union, noted that only 1,100 of the 1,991 sanctioned Class IV positions are filled, leaving a 44% vacancy rate. Employees staged a demonstration outside the dean’s office, demanding the immediate recruitment of contract workers. The hospital administration has assured that a new batch of staff will be appointed within a week and urged the BMC to expedite recruitment, emphasizing the critical need to strengthen public healthcare staffing.
The hospital’s nursing students are also facing serious hardships. Rat infestations and inadequate hostel facilities have made living conditions difficult. Even as patients at Cooper Hospital continue to be bitten by rats, KEM students report that rodents frequently gnaw on their clothes and books and even bite them. Last year, the municipal administration vacated the old, dilapidated hostel and nursing college buildings for repairs, relocating 150 students to the Bhoiwada school building and another 150 to the CVTS Nurses’ Quarters.
However, overcrowding has become a major concern. Up to 16 students now share a single room in the school building, which was hastily converted from classrooms and lacks basic amenities such as proper beds, cupboards, drinking water, and functional lifts. Kalpana Gajula, President of the Noble Nursing Association, highlighted the inadequacy of food and water arrangements, stating that students’ lives have become increasingly difficult. While complaints have been made to the hospital administration, officials have promised a personal inspection of the facilities.
Ensuring Accountability
KEM Hospital’s challenges ranging from infrastructure decay and diagnostic delays to staff shortages and overcrowded wards underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms in civic-run hospitals. Experts and patient advocates have stressed that immediate investments are necessary to expand bed capacity, repair aging infrastructure, and modernize diagnostic equipment. Staffing needs must also be addressed to ensure that patient care is not compromised due to overworked employees.
For patients like Shubhangi Khot and countless others, navigating the crowded corridors of KEM Hospital remains a daily ordeal. Their experiences highlight the urgent need for the BMC and the hospital administration to prioritize expansion, upgrade facilities, and ensure adequate staffing so that the institution can continue fulfilling its critical role in the region’s healthcare landscape.
