The civic body will be spending Rs 2.9 crore for the appointment of the contractor for two years. Patients will be treated from 4 pm to 11 pm through the contractor instead of earlier timings from 9 am to 4 pm
BMC headquarters. (File photo)
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to appoint a contractor following the suggestions made by the health committee chairman Amey Ghole to ensure that patients receive treatment even after 4 pm at 15 municipal dispensaries across the city. Patients will be treated from 4 pm to 11 pm through the contractor instead of earlier timings from 9 am to 4 pm. The civic body will be spending Rs 2.9 crore for the appointment of the contractor for two years.
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In order to get affordable medical treatment for the poor patients, the BMC's Public Health Department has 168 clinics/dispensaries running in different parts of Mumbai. Patients are treated in these clinics between 9 am to 4 pm but the chairman of the health committee had raised worry that citizens who go to offices cannot be treated and also cannot afford to get treatment at a private clinic during 9 am to 4 pm and thus an extension of time was needed.
Keeping this in mind, a letter was sent to Mayor Kishori Pednekar by Health Committee Chairman Amey Ghole requesting an extension of time. Taking note of the letter, the mayor had suggested that the hospital be open from 4 pm to 11 pm. However, due to a lack of manpower, the administration decided to keep the selected clinics open by appointing a contractor. According to the tender conditions, the contractor has to ensure the availability of medical officers (doctors) and another helping hand (workers) for the clinics.
However, it was not an easy task as the tenders did not receive a good response from the contractors for the starting three times when the tenders were floated. Later, the civic administration had to extend the tender process on four occasions. It was only during the fourth time that two contractors responded to the tender by the civic body. According to the scheme, Colaba, Rawali Camp, Wadala, Kalina, Chunabhatti, Ramabai Ambedkar, and Kanjur Village are among the various places where the clinics' will remains open till night.
One of the officers from the health department said, "Contractor will have to make arrangements if the worker or the medical officer is absent. Failure to do so or breach of other conditions will result in punitive action against the contractor. Also, if there is a problem in providing health care to the patients, then the contractor's name will be blacklisted from time to time."
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