The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) plan to operate its hospitals under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model is now facing widespread opposition. After leaders from Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), former BJP corporator Prakash Gangadhare has also opposed the move, writing to the BMC Commissioner and the Minister for Suburban Development.
According to the proposed tender, patients will have to pay approximately Rs 345 for specialty and super-specialty OPD services. Currently, no additional charges are levied for these services in BMC’s medical colleges.
On Tuesday, BJP’s former corporator from Mulund, Prakash Gangadhare, met with the BMC Commissioner and demanded that MT Agrawal Hospital in Mulund should not be privatized. Gangadhare stated that he has been fighting for the redevelopment of this hospital for the past ten years. “We fought several battles, went on hunger strikes, and eventually secured Rs 300 crore for its redevelopment,” he said.
“This hospital serves the poor, but now BMC plans to hand it over under the PPP model. Initially, things may run smoothly, but eventually, poor patients will suffer,” Gangadhare added.
He submitted a letter to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, urging him not to implement the PPP model. He also wrote to the Minister for Suburban Development, Ashish Shelar, opposing the move and announced plans to meet CM Devendra Fadnavis soon.
“BMC is fully capable of running its hospitals. Instead of privatizing them, BMC should recruit more doctors, nurses, and other staff to ensure that poor patients are not financially burdened,” Gangadhare emphasized.
Charges for Specialty OPD Services
As per the Bhagwati Hospital tender, BMC has set rates for OPD and various medical procedures. While general OPD consultation will cost Rs 10, specialty OPD services will be charged at Rs 293, and super-specialty OPD consultations will cost Rs 345. In contrast, BMC’s existing medical colleges provide specialty and super-specialty OPD services for just Rs 10.
Additionally, emergency bed charges have been set at Rs 120 per day. Other charges include Rs 300 for wound dressing and Rs 230 for stitches.
Political Opposition and Growing Protest
BMC has floated a tender to hand over Bhagwati Hospital under the PPP model. On Monday, leaders from Uddhav Sena and Congress, along with former corporators, staged a protest at BMC headquarters and halted the pre-bidding process. The opposition to this plan is intensifying, with all major political parties now speaking out against it.
The primary reason cited for privatizing BMC hospitals is the shortage of doctors, paramedics, and other medical staff. BMC believes that implementing the PPP model will help address this issue. However, critics argue that this move will adversely affect poor patients who rely on government hospitals and cannot afford private healthcare services.
