Nair patients forced to go to pvt centres for CT scans

60-year-old Mumtaz Sheikh

Patients at BMC-run Nair hospital are complaining of inconvenience owing to the lack of an in-house CT scan machine. While the hospital claims that patients are being referred to JJ hospital or NM medical centre and charged the municipal corporation rate, some patients claim that they were asked to visit private facilities.

One patient, Mumtaz Sheikh, 60, a Jogeshwari resident, was involved in a motorcycle accident and rushed to Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Hospital. The doctors there advised her family to go to either Sion hospital or Nair hospital for an operation on her right leg. Athiya Sheikh-Fareed, Mumtaz's daughter, told mid-day, "On reaching Nair hospital, the doctors told us that a CT scan was necessary before the operation and directed us to Chitra scanning centre in Dadar."

The hospital has a daily demand for approximately 100 scans but has been unable to perform them for the past three months as they don't have a machine. The installation of a new machine, costing Rs 4 to Rs 5 crore, is scheduled for October, and the CT scan room is currently being renovated.

The CT scan room at the Nair hospital is under renovation

Meanwhile, the Sheikh family had to pay Rs 3,000 for the CT scan, whereas it would have cost them Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 at a civic-run facility. They claim that when they requested to be sent to JJ hospital, the doctors informed them that outside patients aren't allowed to use their CT scan facility. They were also not informed about NM medical centre, which has an arrangement with the hospital to provide scans at BMC rates.

A ward boy at the hospital, who attends to patients in the orthopaedic ward, confirmed that patients are generally told to visit Chitra Scan Centre. The private facility stated that they offer discounts to patients coming from civic-run hospitals.

Similarly, another patient, a welder by profession, injured his arm while working and was instructed by the doctors to get a CT scan. He shared, "The hospital informed me that they tried to arrange a CT scan at Sion or KEM hospital, but it couldn't be done. Now they have asked me to visit a private facility." However, the hospital has not provided him with the specific name of the private facility to visit.

Mohan Joshi, the dean of Sion hospital, explained that they have one CT scan machine operational at the hospital, with another one being installed. They are accepting emergency cases from Nair hospital, while routine cases are being sent to their public-private facility in Dharavi or Govanadi Shatabdi hospital. Previously, when Sion hospital had two machines, they performed around 150 scans per day, but now they can only manage 75 scans.

Dr Sudhir Medhekar, the newly appointed dean at Nair hospital, stated, "We have not received any complaints from patients so far, but if they are being sent to private facilities where they have to pay more than the municipal corporation rates, it is a serious matter and will be investigated."

Deputy Dean Dr Ajay Rana emphasised the need for replacing the old machine, mentioning that it required frequent repairs and its maintenance contract had expired. Dr Medhekar also mentioned that the repair process for the old machine has begun as a temporary measure until the new machine is operational. He communicated with senior officials and is coordinating with Sion hospital to obtain a replacement part.

Rs 3,000
The amount charged at a private facility