Mumbai: Controversy surrounds inauguration of Govandi’s health facility

The health facility underwent renovation work a couple of years ago

The dispensary cum health post in Govandi's Kamla Raman Nagar is set to be inaugurated on Women's Day (March 8) by the former corporator of the area from the Samajwadi Party. However, ward-level BMC health officials said they were unaware of this.

The health facility underwent renovation work a couple of years ago. "Such small health posts are often not officially inaugurated, but we have informed BMC officials, and they are included as well," said Ruksana Siddiqui, former corporator (ward no. 136).

However, Dr Pramod Ashtekar, the deputy executive health officer of zone-5, said he was unaware of any such inauguration. "We are yet to confirm the opening date," he said. mid-day, in its earlier reports, highlighted how a few residents, as well as health workers, believe the opening of the health post was delayed for a politician to inaugurate it. The medical health officer (MOH) had said that the opening was delayed due to a lack of funds in procuring fire compliance licences.

Meanwhile, Siddiqui said she will be inaugurating the health facility because she was the one who, as a corporator, made the BMC open such a centre in the area in 2017. "What is the harm if I inaugurate this? It is election season, so some people want to make this an issue," she said.

"We denied them permission but they are going ahead with it either way. Nobody from the BMC will be there. It will at least take us another week or so to open it as furniture is yet to arrive," said a ward-level health official.

After the centre underwent renovation work, it was temporarily functioning from another location just a few metres ahead of Kamla Raman Nagar. It took a month's work for the health workers to inform the residents of its new location.

Swapnali Muknuk, a nurse at the centre, said the OPD witnesses a daily footfall of 100 patients. It also serves as a treatment centre for TB patients, the prevalence of which is high in the ward. "We are aware that the building that underwent renovation will be inaugurated on March 8, but no one has conveyed anything to us officially," she said.

As elections are around the corner, there have been a series of visits to health facilities by politicians. On Thursday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde did a surprise inspection of Aapla Davakhana at Worli and announced the implementation of the Zero Prescription Policy from April.

Just a day before this, there was an inauguration at KEM hospital where Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar, along with Speaker Rahul Narvekar, inaugurated a dialysis unit and a neurology ICU. On the same day, the two, along with Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, inaugurated a cath lab, liver centre, and infertility treatment centre at JJ Hospital.

2017
The year that the facility first opened