High-level inquiry to be conducted into medicine purchase and supply at BMC hospitals

The Maharashtra Government Friday announced a high-level inquiry into the purchase of medicines supplied to the hospitals under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. According to a Indian Express report, Industries Minister Uday Samant informed the legislative Assembly that a White Paper on services provided by the BMC hospitals will also be presented. Congress MLA Amin Patel raised the issue of healthcare facilities in civic body-run hospitals in the Assembly. Patel pointed out that giving a free hand to operate unauthorised hospitals in Mumbai city has led to various incidents of fire outbreaks, mistreatment of patients as well as lack of supply of medicines in these hospitals. Participating in the discussion, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar presented an overview on the healthcare facilities in Mumbai. He said that patients coming to BMC-run hospitals are asked to get the medicines and various reports – X Ray, sonography, etc done from outside. This proves that there is corruption which must be thoroughly investigated, he said.

He said that since Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra, patients from the rural areas come to Mumbai in large numbers. “There are various hospitals in Mumbai including the municipal hospitals, hospitals run by the state government, private entities, charitable bodies, and hospitals for the central government workers but there is absolutely no coordination between all these hospitals. And hence, the state government must come up with a White Paper on the number of patients coming to Mumbai and whether are there adequate facilities to take care of them,” said Shelar. The civic body, on an average, spends nearly Rs 4,000 crore on health facilities every year, which amounts to Rs. 20,000 crore having been spent on health system over the last five years. “Roughly, this amount must have been spent on approximately 45,000 patients. But unfortunately, there is misappropriation in this service as well,” Shelar pointed out. He also said that the medicines and injections given at the private hospitals are exorbitantly priced and the patients are made to suffer and hence the government must come up with a rate card. He also demanded the government to construct buildings to house the relatives of cancer patients who come to Mumbai for treatment. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Manisha Choudhary also raised the issue of poor healthcare facilities in Mumbai suburbs during the discussion. In response to this, Industries Minister Uday Samant accepted the demand to come up with a White Paper and also announced a high-level inquiry into the procurement of medicines at the hospitals.