BMC gives Andheri hospital a clean chit

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has found no merit in the allegations that the BSES Municipal General Hospital managed by Brahma Kumaris at Andheri (West) was overcharging patients for services. However, the civic body asked the hospital to display all its rates prominently to avoid confusion.

The clean chit to the hospital follows an enquiry conducted by the corporation after several complaints regarding the hospital hiking rates for services and allegedly illegally constructing an additional floor in the building.

Local corporator Mohsin Hyder had alleged that the hospital indulged in malpractices and charged exorbitant rates. Hyder also alleged that the hospital did not adhere to the 30 per cent bed reservation agreement. Ashok Mehta, the hospital’s medical director, said, “All allegations made were false. There is a 30 per cent reservation made for the poor. We will put up boards as it is being made mandatory.”

The civic body’s Chief Medical Superintendent Seema Mallik said that a surprise check was conducted at the hospital. She said that rates were as per the corporation’s norms and that patients were content with the services provided. Regarding the additional illegal floor, the corporation’s Executive Health Officer Jairaj Thanekar said no irregularities were found in the hospital.

The civic body had handed over the reins of the hospital to the Bramha Kumari Trust in 2002, as the former had no money to run it. It was a public-private partnership that entered into an agreement that the hospital will charge 33 per cent of its outdoor patients as per the corporation’s rates.