The state Dairy Department has decided to outsource the Aarey Hospital in Mumbai's Goregaon East to a private charitable trust. The Aarey Hospital was caught in a dispute between BMC and the state Dairy Department for a long time. This decision ends BMC's hopes to gain a foothold in Aarey Colony. The move aims to revive the dilapidated facility, potentially aiding the 40,000 residents, including tribal communities, who lacked essential medical services. Concerns about potential privatization have arisen, with local activists questioning the need for a charitable trust intermediary to run the hospital. Aarey Dairy's CEO assures that the move isn't privatization but a transfer to a trust, ensuring affordability and quality in healthcare through a stringent bidding process.
In a significant development for Aarey Hospital in Mumbai's Goregaon East, which has long been embroiled in a conflict between the BMC and the state Dairy Department, a decision has been made to outsource the facility to a charitable trust. The hospital has been languishing in a dilapidated state for years due to this conflict.
This decision has disappointed the BMC, which had aspirations to gain control of the hospital. The BMC's desire to take over the facility was aimed at extending its influence into the Aarey Colony, located within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park — a crucial green space in the midst of the concrete jungle of Mumbai.
The state Dairy Department’s decision to go ahead with the hospital's revival holds the potential to bring relief to the 40,000 residents of Aarey Colony, including approximately 8,000 tribal individuals residing in 27 hamlets.
The hospital has been functioning without many vital medical services. Dinish Mahale, a local resident, faced a medical emergency after his nine-year-old son was bitten by a poisonous snake. The lack of essential medical services at Aarey Hospital forced the family to navigate seven kilometres to Trauma Hospital. Such emergencies like snakebites are prevalent in the area and highlights the pressing need for accessible healthcare in the area.
Sunil Kumre, a member of a tribal community in Aarey Colony, reveals that the government had earlier agreed to hand over Aarey Hospital to the BMC. However, disputes between the state Dairy Development Department and BMC have led to a prolonged deprivation of essential medical facilities for the residents till date.
While the outsourcing decision may offer a glimmer of hope, concerns about potential privatization have surfaced. Local activist Prakash Bhoir, representing a tribal community, expresses apprehension about how a charitable trust might manage the hospital meant for the poor people in the area, emphasizing the potential dangers of moving towards privatization. Bhoir questions why the government or BMC cannot directly take responsibility for the hospital's administration.
Aarey Dairy's Chief Executive Officer, Balasaheb Wakchaure, refutes claims of privatization, citing the prior allocation of the land to the forest department. He says that the BMC had demanded additional 5-acres of land but since the land was already handed over to the Forest Department, this demand could not be fulfilled. Wakchaure asserts that the present decision merely involves transferring the existing structure to a charitable trust.
The process involves calling for expressions of interest, with stringent terms and conditions to ensure rates align with those of government-run facilities. The lowest bidder will be the entity entrusted to run the hospital, thereby attempting to balance affordability with quality healthcare.
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