Free medical services provided at government hospitals in Maharashtra

Government hospitals in Maharashtra will provide free treatment and screening or testing facilities from 15th August. An order was released and all services at the hospitals run by both the state government and civic entities shall be free.

The order does not apply to hospitals under the control of the Maharashtra Medical Education and Research Department. If a government hospital demands any fee, then a complaint can be registered using the toll-free number 104. The order said, common tests and screenings such as X-rays, ECG, blood tests and CT scans will be conducted for free. If the medicines are unavailable at the OPD, the hospital has to purchase them locally and give to the patients. 

Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde visited the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (CSM) Hospital. He was accompanied by civic chief Abhijit Bangar and district collector Ashok Shingare. The rising number of patient deaths at CSM Hospital, Thane created a chaotic situation as family members of the deceased were politicising the issue. CM Shinde said, death in the family is painful but requested people not to make it a political issue. He promised action against those responsible for the deaths and announced Rs 71 crore funds for the creation of various medical facilities to treat patients coming from rural parts of Thane district.

In a single-day period, CSM reported 18 deaths, and hence CM Shinde ordered an independent committee to conduct a probe into the clinical aspect of these deaths. Additional Municipal Commissioner, Thane (in-charge of health services) Sandeep Malvi said the number of deaths at this hospital has decreased in the last 24 hours and the details are being compiled and analysed. Former Thane mayor Naresh Mhakse, also spokesperson of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, said the Civil Hospital located nearby in the city is being renovated, so all the load falls on the Kalwa facility. An official added that CSM Hospital was 'over-loaded' and treating nearly 600 patients per day against its capacity of 500. 

Medical superintendent of the CSM Hospital, Dr Aniruddha Malgaonkar said the option of shifting patients to the Civil Hospital has been left to them. “We will shift only those patients who are recovering and from among the new admissions.” The CSM Hospital admits around 150 new patients per day and has increased its load due to the renovation of a nearby hospital.