As per BMC statistics, peripheral hospitals refer over 40 per cent of the patients who approach major hospitals, like KEM hospital. Representation pic

The BMC has given its hospitals some happy pills in this year's budget. For starters, it has allocated R197 crore for transforming infrastructure-starved peripheral hospitals during 2018-19. In another major development, 230 ICU ventilators have been approved, which would decrease the pressure on emergency care services. Moreover, the health budget has been hiked by Rs 325 crore this year to amount to Rs 3,636.82 crore for 2018-19.