In Sion Hospital, cats are seen more frequently than ward staff

Patients and relatives of patients admitted to Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Hospital, popularly known as Sion Hospital, have been complaining about the uncleanliness and unhygienic condition of ward no 29 which is also home to several cats that freely roam around the ward in search for food. According to patients and relatives, the ward is kept unhygienic every day and there are hardly any staff members present to check up on patients.

"The cats can be seen walking on patient beds, in the washroom, on the garbage bins as well as around the ward. How will the condition of patients improve if no hygiene is maintained? No measures are taken to control the cat menace. The hospital staff is reluctant to change bedsheets and the wards are hardly cleaned," said a patient's relative on the condition of anonymity.

Few relatives also raised concerns over their bills rising every week.

Abdul Rab, 40, a resident of Nallasopara said, "I shifted my mother to a municipal hospital because we can't afford a private hospital. They charged us at least Rs 65,000 for a leg fracture. Besides this, I have to look after the cleanliness of her wound. There is no staff member to attend to the patients."

Sayeda Begum, 47, whose daughter is admitted to the hospital, said, "It has been 2.5 years that my daughter is being treated for the same condition. This is our third round to the hospital for the same treatment and there has been no improvement or further recovery so far."