A day after mid-day exposed the privileged high-handedness of elected representatives in civic-run hospitals that is in complete dichotomy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administrative policy, BJP corporators are attempting to rationalise their stand



Sion hospital, like the other three major BMC-run facilities, is already burdened by a high patient load. Pic for Represenation

A day after mid-day exposed the privileged high-handedness of elected representatives in civic-run hospitals that is in complete dichotomy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administrative policy, BJP corporators are attempting to rationalise their stand.

To that end, Sunil Yadav, BJP corporator from Andheri, along with three other corporators, said he raised the demand for preferential treatment for politicians and statesmen as well as those referenced by them, after he faced trouble when procuring treatment for a patient in a BMC-run hospital. While the other three have also complained of being poorly treated at civic-run hospitals, their names are still unknown, and Yadav has refused to reveal them.

Refusal to admit

Recalling the incident that led to his demand, Yadav said, "On April 7, I had a very terrible experience with Cooper Hospital wherein a doctor refused to admit a patient with more than 30 stitches. Despite my reference, they refused to admit him. In fact, even after the hospital authority gave it in writing that the patient be admitted, the senior doctor still refused to do so. Ultimately, I had to rush to the hospital myself."

"If doctors behave like this with public representatives, can you imagine how they behave with poor people? So, I suggested in the standing committee and public health committee to provide priority treatment to those referred by representatives to help patients in need," he added.

Hospital fires back

Meanwhile, even as there has been public backlash at the circular's vocal demand to give priority to the 40 'VIPs' on the list, Dr Avinash Supe, dean of KEM Hospital and director of major hospitals, who issued the circular, claims that the circular was "just an informative letter, meant for the new batch of students unaware of the changes in the standing committee members". However, several names on that list like Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, mayor of Mumbai, are not part of the BMC standing committee altogether.

On being asked further about the 'priority' treatment of patients referred by those on the list, he again refuted and said, "We have just asked the doctors to behave properly with the politicians and their patients coming to hospitals for treatment."

Later, Idzes Kundan, BMC additional commissioner (health), said that she hadn't managed to check the circular yet, but that she has instructed Dr Supe to talk to her regarding it. "Once I go through the circular, I will comment or make any correction," she said.

But what of the rest?

Following the wide condemnation, Parbavi Mehra, a health activist, said, "Not everyone in Mumbai can afford to get support from local corporators. So rather than just restricting it to 40 politicians, why not ask doctors to behave properly with everyone?"

Mid-day impact

Manoj Kotak, BJPâÂÂgroup leader, whose name is also on this list, came out against it. "There shouldn't be any VIP culture and we have written a letter to the commissioner, stating that everybody should be treated equally. I don't know how my name appeared without my consent. It needs to be inquired as to who gave such an order,"âÂÂhe said.