Mumbai: Despite Mumbai Police losing around 160 men to disease annually, over the past five years, the force does not seem to be insensitive to the health of the constabulary.
There are two police hospitals—at Nagpada and Naigaon (sub-hospital)-- with basic operative care facilities and 12 dispensaries meant for 75 police lines spread across the city. Moreover, two mobile dispensaries make trips to the police lines regularly.
In 2010, the police had introduced health card schemes for constables, especially those in the age group of 40-50 and 50-58, to digitise their medical history. While 10,000 constables have already been covered, the police administration aims at covering the entire constabulary.
Apart from this, there is the Kutumb Arogya Yojna (KAY) scheme started in 2005, which offers cashless treatment to the constable and his family members (including parents) at many premier private hospitals in the city. Under the scheme, free treatment is given for 27 diseases, including five serious illness.
It was former Mumbai police commissioner Datta Padsalgikar, who did yeoman service to the force's health by introducing an eight-hour duty schedule for the constabulary.
“As a result of the various health schemes, fixed duty hours and fitness camps (like yoga) held periodically, instances of TB and other lifestyle diseases had come down drastically,” Bajaj added.
Kolekar meanwhile, said the trend is likely to grow in future unless food and water contamination levels in the city are brought down, along with the burgeoning air pollution levels. “Why just the police, for everybody, pollution and contamination are at the root of all problems,” he stated.Top three killers: Heart trouble, cancer, liver ailments
By Debasish Panigrahi
