Mumbai, Nov. 22 -- Essential medical services have been disrupted at two peripheral hospitals under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) this week due to shortage of staff and doctors shirking from performing assigned duties. At the Manohar Waman (MW) Desai Hospital in Malad, at least two patients who required stitches were referred elsewhere, while at the Shatabdi hospital in Kandivali, ECG services have been unavailable for at least three days. A 22-year-old man who visited the MW Desai Hospital during the week seeking treatment for a hand injury said he was referred to a higher centre although he only required sutures. This was despite the hospital having a functional surgery department and MBBS doctors being posted in the casualty section. "The doctors told me they cannot do stitches and asked me to go to another hospital," the 22-year-old patient told HT. Another 50-year-old man who also required sutures for a hand injury said he too was turned away from the hospital. "The hospital does not have a permanent paramedical person responsible for suturing," a hospital staffer said, requesting anonymity. "As per rules, junior doctors can also suture wounds, but they often avoid taking up the procedure." On average, the hospital gets 4-5 cases requiring sutures every day, the staffer said. "This week, all such cases were referred to higher centres," he noted. A senior official at the hospital, however, said, "I have instructed all doctors to conduct suturing and other practices regularly." At the Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali, ECG services have been unavailable for at least three days, doctors and hospital staff told HT. The hospital administers around 30 ECGs per day on average, they said. A doctor at the hospital said the disruption was due to vacant technician posts, low pay, and no enforcement of guidelines on provision of medical services. Dr Ajay Gupta, medical superintendent of the hospital, too referred to staff shortage. "We have two ECG technician posts but only one technician on rolls. That person is on maternity leave. So, there is no one to administer ECGs for regular cases," Dr Gupta told HT. Chief superintendent Chandrakant Pawar did not respond to calls or texts from HT....