MUMBAI: For the past year, Sewri’s TB Hospital was unable to hire the three intensivists required to run its Intensive Respiratory Care Unit, forcing existing staff to work extra hours to cover the shortfall. The hospital registers between 6,000 and 7,000 admissions annually.A senior doctor at the hospital said the unit is currently being run by just one intensivist and one anaesthetist. “Apart from that, there are four medical officers for the ICU, and 37 other medical officers are available,” the doctor added.Every day, the 10-bed unit has at least a couple of patients. There are also days when the unit lies vacant, but currently, the existing staff are working 12-hour shifts instead of the standard 8 hours at the request of hospital authorities. “Without the cooperation of the current staff, it would be impossible to run this unit,” the doctor said, adding that stigma and fear surrounding TB continue to deter potential applicants.Another senior health department official noted that many avoid working at the TB hospital primarily because private hospitals offer significantly higher salaries. “We cannot match that,” the official admitted. The hospital offers Rs 1.25 lakh to those with one year of experience after post-graduation, Rs 1.35 lakh to those with one to five years of experience, Rs 1.5 lakh for those with five to eight years of experience, and Rs 2 lakh for those with more than eight years of experience.Meanwhile, the hospital is seeking recognition as a Centre of Excellence from the Central TB Division. “The hospital is already fulfilling some of the CoE criteria. We are in the process of drafting a proposal to the CTD,” the senior health official said.