Mumbai, July 3, 2026: The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), which had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of media reports alleging denial of emergency medical care to a critically ill patient at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) M.W. Desai Hospital in Malad, has granted the civic administration one final opportunity to submit its report.
The Commission had initiated proceedings on its own after taking note of media reports highlighting alleged lapses in the treatment of a patient at the civic-run hospital. Health activist Chetan Kothari had also approached the SHRC with a complaint based on the same reports.
BMC Yet To Submit Report
During the latest hearing, Dr Jayshree Pawar, Medical Officer, and Dr Pradnya Malgundkar, Chief Medical Officer of M.W. Desai Hospital, appeared before the Commission. However, the SHRC noted that the report sought from the Municipal Commissioner had not been received.
Dr Malgundkar informed the Commission that she had not been authorised by the Municipal Commissioner to present the BMC's official stand. She said she attended the hearing only because her predecessor had requested her to do so.
Observing that the civic administration had failed to file its response, the SHRC granted one final opportunity to submit the report. The matter has been posted before Court No. 1 on August 19, 2026, at 11 am, with directions to inform all concerned parties.
Case Stems From April Incident
The case relates to an incident in April 2026 involving Prabhakar Bhimrao, a chronic alcoholic, who was brought to M.W. Desai Hospital in a semi-conscious condition. According to the media reports that triggered the SHRC's suo motu action, he was suspected to be suffering from a brain haemorrhage after experiencing a similar episode in the past.
The reports alleged that the duty doctor merely recorded observations on the OPD papers but neither admitted the patient nor initiated emergency treatment.
"Despite the patient's critical condition, no ambulance was arranged to shift him to a higher medical centre. Instead, he was allegedly advised to seek treatment elsewhere and left to arrange his own transport. The hospital also allegedly violated its own casualty protocol," Kothari said, citing the media reports.
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The SHRC will take up the matter on August 19 after receiving the BMC's report or hearing the civic body's explanation.
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