DNB course approval for Bhagwati hospital Borivli sparks questions over readiness

Bhagwati Hospital, which is run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, in Borivli. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Even as the public health department received an in-principle approval to apply for Diplomate of National Board (DNB) courses at Bhagwati Hospital in Borivli, the facility lacks the basic eligibility criteria required for such programmes. Hospital authorities confirmed that the hospital is not yet fully ready to be functional as a multi-speciality centre, which is mandatory for at least two years before an institution can apply to start DNB accreditation.

The announcement by the department's deputy municipal commissioner has raised questions, given the ground reality of the hospital's incomplete status. "The contractor hasn't given any finish date of ongoing furniture works. After all the work is completed, we will need to apply for a fire NOC and get the electricity meters installed. Until then, the hospital cannot be equipped with medical apparatus. And only after that can we start taking in patients. It will take at least five years for us to apply for the course, considering the fulfilment of eligibility criteria," said an official from the hospital.

This is not the first time that the deadline has been pushed. The hospital was slated to be opened by January this year. Authoriacknowledge that hospital may miss May deadline too.

What is DNB?

The Diplomate of National Board is a three-year postgraduate medical qualification, equivalent to an MD/MS degree, awarded by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. It is a rigorous training programme focused on clinical skills conducted in high-volume multispecialty hospitals.