mid-day Impact! BMC raps blood banks for fleecing patients

After mid-day reports on patients being charged Rs 200 extra for blood, civic body issues letter to all blood banks demanding explanation

The blood bank at Sion Hospital. Pic/Shadab Khan

Three months after mid-day first reported about BMC-run blood banks charging patients an extra Rs 200 for blood, the civic body has issued a letter to all banks in the city demanding an explanation for fleecing people.

In 2014, the state government had passed a government resolution (GR), reducing the cost of blood by Rs 200 - from Rs 1,050 to Rs 850 - at all government and civic hospitals. However, most civic hospitals are still following the old rate card.

Last week, the BMC sent a letter to all blood banks asking them to provide a written explanation for the violation of government directives. Speaking to mid-day, Dr Avinash Supe, director of major hospitals said, "We have taken steps to deal with the issue. We have asked the BMC-run blood banks the reason for not following the GR. We are awaiting their response."

Following the letter, Bhabha Hospital in Bandra corrected the error. In its reply to the BMC's letter, the hospital said, "We have rectified the rates and are charging R850."

In its October 2 edition, mid-day revealed that civic-run blood banks were following the old rate card, citing that they didn't get the official letter from the BMC. Following the story, the BMC commissioner's office had sent a letter to the director and chief medical superintendent to inquire into the matter.

An RTI application filed by a doctor had revealed that leading civic hospitals were charging extra from private hospital patients, who required blood urgently. At present, civic hospitals provide free blood to in-house patients. The doctor who filed the RTI application said, "All hospitals come under the purview of the state health department. So, they can't ignore the government directives by citing that the corporation hasn't instructed them to do so."

Idzes Kundan, additional municipal commissioner, said, "We are taking the necessary steps."

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