Navi Mumbai: The Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has terminated the contract with two private hospitals in Navi Mumbai after the Public Health Department of state government asked to treat all COVID-19 patients under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY). The civic body has been asked not to enter into any other pact for the treatment of COVID-19 patients except for MJPJAY.
After the outbreak of the pandemic, the state government had instructed to take measures at the municipal level for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Accordingly, the PMC had entered with an agreement with MGM Hospital Kamothe and DY Patil Hospital in Nerul on May 11 and July 15 respectively for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The agreement included doctor fees, medication, meals, and other charges. The civic body also paid around Rs 1.5 crore to MGM Hospital Kamothe for the treatment of the patients.
The state government already announced that all COVID-19 patients would be treated under the MJPJAY. Kantilal Kadu, president of Panvel Sangharsh Samiti raised the issue on the continuation of treatment of COVID-19 patients under the old agreement.
“Since the state government is already spending crores under the MJPJAY for treating the COVID-19 patients, why the civic body needs to spend separately,” says Kadu. He wrote to the government on the matter.
“The decision will help the poor as they will get treatment free of cost and the civic body can also save money,” added Kadu.
A senior civic official confirmed that the agreement with the two hospitals has been terminated. The officials said that since the civic body did not have its own infrastructure, it had to rely on others. “Since we had to make beds available for COVID-19 patients, we entered into an agreement,” said a senior civic official.
As per the instruction from the state Public Health Department, the state government has already paid the insurance premium for the treatment under MJPJAY and as per the order on May 23, all COVID-19 patients can be treated under the scheme. The civic body or local agency will take over 80 percent of beds of a private hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
