Mumbai: Nair hospital to finally get CT scan machine in 2024

Forensic dept doctors said the new attendance rules hinder their work, Nair Hospital

The BYL Nair Hospital which didn't have a CT scan machine for a year may finally get the equipment in January 2024. The prolonged delay in providing the CT scan facility at one of the prominent municipal hospitals in Mumbai significantly impacted the patients and their families. This has been on account of administrative lapses on the part of BMC officials, particularly the central purchasing department (CPD).

"It is coming from Japan and the vendors have said it will be delivered by January," said hospital dean Dr Sudhir Medhekar, who was given charge of the hospital earlier this year. Another official from the hospital pointed out that the purchase of such equipment is entirely handled by BMC's CPD. "Delay from their end has created this situation," he said. The hospital has a demand for about 100 CT scans per day. Meanwhile, officials from the BMC's central purchasing department were unavailable for comment.

In the mid-day's report ‘Nair patients forced to go to private centres for CT scans,' published in June, this paper highlighted how patients were forced to run around for scans as they were unavailable within the hospital. The CT scan machine then available with the hospital was not operational as it required repairs.

Taking cognisance of the mid-day news report, the State Human Rights Commission, which held three hearings in the matter so far, had referred to the absence of a CT scan machine as a human rights violation. "It is surprising that to repair the scan machine; the Corporation requires so much time. It is the duty of the Corporation and Hospital to provide medical facilities to the patients who come there," the commission had noted.

In August, in an affidavit submitted to the commission, advocate Rajshri Valvi, appearing for the BMC, said, "The functioning of the CT scan section will be in operative condition from the end of September, i.e., up to 30/09/2023, for the ready patients. To avoid inconvenience in the meantime, the hospital management has already taken precautionary measures by sending the needy patients to other MCGM and government hospitals."

As mid-day has highlighted in its earlier reports, patients are not informed about such tie-ups and instead, ward attendants ask them to visit private facilities, where many have to shell out a minimum of Rs 3,000 for the scan.

Rs 3k
Minimum cost of scan in private facility