Mumbai: 100,000 residents in Aarey have just one government doctor

The crumbling façade of the hospital at Aarey Milk Colony. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The sole hospital in Aarey Milk Colony - home to one lakh residents, including the inhabitants of tribal hamlets, slums and cattle farm units - is barely operational. While Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) staff drop by twice a week to administer vaccines, there is only one doctor on hand and residents report a dire shortage of essential medicines.

Sadly, the present situation is no different from that of more than a decade ago. There are 27 tribal hamlets and approximately 32 slum areas in the area, along with various units where cattle farm owners and their families, as well as staff members, reside. While there are a few small private dispensaries within the colony, residents say a fully-equipped government hospital is sorely needed.

In Photos: The sorry state of Aarey hospital in Goregaon

1 year agoPHOTO GALLERY

Officials say the facility is not equipped to handle critical cases

Aarey resident Sunil Kumre, the chairman of Navkshitij Charitable Trust, said, "I have lived in Aarey for decades, and the hospital was once the primary healthcare facility for locals. In 2013, I undertook a fast-unto-death to draw attention to the hospital's deteriorating condition. After this, authorities assured us that the BMC would take over and improvements would be made.

Unfortunately, nothing has changed. With over one lakh residents relying on this hospital, emergency situations - such as accidents or incidents of human-wildlife conflict, including snake bites - often require us to rush patients to the BMC-run Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Centre in Jogeshwari or Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle. This delay can be life-threatening. It is crucial that the public health department takes charge of the hospital to fully operationalise it or at the very least convert it into a basic healthcare facility under the Aapla Dawakhana initiative."

The crumbling façade of the hospital. Pics/Nimesh Dave

mid-day's visit

On Thursday afternoon, we visited Aarey Hospital and found only one doctor, a pharmacist, and a few other staff members on duty. Upon entering, we noticed that the hospital's condition, including its structure, was quite dilapidated, with cracks evident in the entrance slab. When we spoke with the doctor on-site, he advised us to contact the Aarey CEO's office for further assistance.

An official from the Aarey CEO's office, who requested not to be named, stated, "At the Aarey Hospital, a doctor is available in the OPD from 10 am to 4 pm to provide medication for fever, cough, cold and other minor ailments. For emergencies, patients are referred to BMC or government hospitals, as we are not equipped to handle critical cases."

Hanif Khorajiya who visited the hospital recently

This newspaper has frequently reported on the challenges faced by patients in Aarey Milk Colony who fall ill, suffer injuries in accidents or have close encounters with wildlife. Such individuals often have to be rushed by their loved ones to the trauma centre.

Resident Speak

Hanif Khorajiya, a local, said, "I have lived in Aarey for over three decades, and there was a time when the hospital was fully operational, serving not only dairy staff but also the residents of tribal hamlets. Now, this once-vital hospital is in dire straits. On Wednesday, at 10 am, I brought one of my workers who was unwell to the facility, and we had to wait over an hour for the doctor to arrive because he was late. There have been cases of snake bites where patients died due to the delay in reaching the distant BMC hospital. The Maharashtra government should take over this hospital and ensure it is equipped with the necessary amenities so people don't have to rush outside Aarey during emergencies."

Tribal leader Sagar Kishor Mohankar emphasised the urgent need to revamp the hospital. "Thousands of people live in the tribal hamlets of Aarey Milk Colony, and we often lack the funds to shift patients to outside facilities, especially at night when transport options are limited. Establishing a fully equipped hospital that can handle emergencies would greatly benefit residents." Aarey CEO Balasaheb Wakchaure was unavailable for comment before press time.

Deadly encounters with snakes in Aarey colony

October 2024: Gulab Vanjari, a resident of Bhurikhan Pada, had to be rushed to the Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Centre in Jogeswari

June 2024: Komal Gadekar Patekar died on her way to hospital after a snakebite

September 2023: A 16-year-old boy had a close encounter with a snake

July 2017: Yashodha Kadu, 20, died after she was bitten by a spectacled cobra while she was asleep in her Jivachapada home

October 2017: A six-year-old boy, a Vanicha Pada resident, lost his life due to a snakebite