SHRC Issues Notice to BMC Over Unregistered Lab Technician at VN Desai Hospital

The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has issued a notice to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) regarding an unregistered laboratory technician working at VN Desai Hospital in Santacruz. The intervention follows an earlier, similar notice issued by the commission concerning staff at Bandra Bhabha Hospital.

According to hospital officials, multiple laboratory technicians across BMC-run medical facilities hold Master of Science (MSc) degrees but do not possess a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT). A DMLT degree is required for staff to complete mandatory registration with the Maharashtra Paramedical Council.

A doctor at VN Desai Hospital stated that the technicians remain qualified to carry out their duties, noting that the registration complications arose after official rules were altered in 2019. In the wake of these regulatory changes, staff unions held protests to demand that the costs associated with registering with the council be paid by the municipal corporation rather than by the individual employees.

Hospital officials further clarified that numerous registration applications remain pending before the Maharashtra Paramedical Council. Although worker details were submitted to the council roughly a year ago, heavy application volumes have led to processing delays across civic hospitals.