The Jagjeevan Ram Hospital in Mumbai Central, which was equipped with the cardio vascular thoracic surgery (CVTS) department at the cost of over `20 crore by the Western Railway, has not been able to treat patients as 22 of the 43 machines installed at the facility are not operational. These machines, that cost over `4.75 crore, have been lying idle. As a result, patients have been referred to private hospitals, causing a huge drain of money as medical expenses.
An RTI query has revealed that Western Railway paid `1.70 crore to private hospitals for bypass-related surgeries of 114 patients which could have been done at Jagjeevan Ram Hospital if the machines were operational. The query also revealed that a few machines were purchased in 2009 and have exhausted their warranty period of two to three years.
RTI activist Samir Jhaveri has accused the hospital administration of running a syndicate with private hospitals. Mr Jhaveri has dashed off a letter to the Prime Minister’s office indicating a possible scam of senior railway employees.
The RTI reply furnished by additional chief director of JRH of WR says that a total of 114 patients of the CVTS department were referred to private hospitals between August 22, 2012 (when the department was launched) and June 10, 2013 and `1.70 crore was remitted for the treatment of patients. It means that WR paid `25 lakh per month to private hospitals and `1.5 lakh per patient.
However, a source close to the hospital said. “These operations could have been performed with only `50,000 in our hospital if all machines were working, but the administration could not do this for the past two years, which is a shame.” Dr Ashish Tiwari, medico-legal expert, also said the treatment cost would be `50,000 to `70,000 in a government-run hospitals.
A noted cardiologist from south Mumbai’s renowned hospital told The Asian Age that to get a patient from a government hospital, private hospital pay a cut to the referral government doctor.
While Ajay Singh, union leader of Western Railway Majdoor Sangh said, “Common rail employees are running from pillar to post to get the treatment in our own hospitals, whereas senior officers are getting treatment in-five star hospitals on railway’s account.”
Sharat Chandrayan, chief PRO of WR said, “A few patients who develop complicated ailments are referred to private hospitals as railway doctors do not have the expertise to handle critical cases. However, efforts are on to hire specialists and paramedical staff and very soon all the machines will be operational.”