Events & Personalities
Parting of ways
Masina Hospital has ended its 28-year-old association with psychiatrist Dr Yusuf Matcheswalla (pictured) in order to "transform” the department he headed "from a part-time consultant-led” one to a "full-time psychiatrist managed” one. Matcheswalla ran the 
Mental Rehabilitation Center at the South Bombay Hospital. The Hospital has also ended the services of six consulting psychiatrists attached to the Center, reported the Mumbai Mirror (MM) on February 17, 2018. Two doctors have taken up permanent positions with the Hospital and they will be assisted by a third doctor hired afresh, said the report. The Center was started by Matcheswalla with eight beds. According to MM, it can now accommodate "a hundred patients.” The psychiatrist also ran a private outpatient’s department at the Hospital.
A committee helmed by King Edward Memorial Hospital’s head of psychiatry Dr Shubhangi Parkar was appointed by the Directorate of Health Services to review the Center’s operations.
In response to Parsiana’s follow-up with medical director Dr Vispi Jokhi, for a statement, we received the following: "The board of trustees at Masina Hospital believes in practicing ethical, clinically sound and financially transparent protocols that are patient centric and in adherence to the provisions of the medical regulations. Psychiatry services by its very complex nature need closer monitoring and additionally, the provisions of the proposed Mental Health Act makes it mandatory for us to be thoroughly compliant. In order to fulfill this mandate given, we have taken a decision to transform from a part-time consultant-led department into a full-time psychiatrist-managed department, where the Hospital administration appoints psychiatrists who take complete charge of organizing patient care from the first consultation to their rehabilitation. At Masina Hospital, this initiative is undertaken with an objective to fulfill our mission of providing affordable healthcare.”
Matcheswalla has been a facilitator for certain workshops for the Jiyo Parsi program (see "Mentoring mobeds,” Parsiana, June 7, 2017 and "Mobeds as mediators,” Parsiana, December 7, 2017). Dr Katy Gandevia, professor at Tata Institute of Social Sciences and core team member of Jiyo Parsi told Parsiana on February 21 that she believes that the doctor will continue to support the program as needed.
Mental Rehabilitation Center at the South Bombay Hospital. The Hospital has also ended the services of six consulting psychiatrists attached to the Center, reported the Mumbai Mirror (MM) on February 17, 2018. Two doctors have taken up permanent positions with the Hospital and they will be assisted by a third doctor hired afresh, said the report. The Center was started by Matcheswalla with eight beds. According to MM, it can now accommodate "a hundred patients.” The psychiatrist also ran a private outpatient’s department at the Hospital. A committee helmed by King Edward Memorial Hospital’s head of psychiatry Dr Shubhangi Parkar was appointed by the Directorate of Health Services to review the Center’s operations.
In response to Parsiana’s follow-up with medical director Dr Vispi Jokhi, for a statement, we received the following: "The board of trustees at Masina Hospital believes in practicing ethical, clinically sound and financially transparent protocols that are patient centric and in adherence to the provisions of the medical regulations. Psychiatry services by its very complex nature need closer monitoring and additionally, the provisions of the proposed Mental Health Act makes it mandatory for us to be thoroughly compliant. In order to fulfill this mandate given, we have taken a decision to transform from a part-time consultant-led department into a full-time psychiatrist-managed department, where the Hospital administration appoints psychiatrists who take complete charge of organizing patient care from the first consultation to their rehabilitation. At Masina Hospital, this initiative is undertaken with an objective to fulfill our mission of providing affordable healthcare.”
Matcheswalla has been a facilitator for certain workshops for the Jiyo Parsi program (see "Mentoring mobeds,” Parsiana, June 7, 2017 and "Mobeds as mediators,” Parsiana, December 7, 2017). Dr Katy Gandevia, professor at Tata Institute of Social Sciences and core team member of Jiyo Parsi told Parsiana on February 21 that she believes that the doctor will continue to support the program as needed.
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