Rs 1 crore fund for TB hospital stuck in red rape

Mumbai: Ten months ago, Mazagon Dock Limited allotted Rs 1 crore to the Sewri TB hospital as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and gave the sum to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

However, the fund is yet to reach the hospital and stuck in red tape. The fund would help solve the problem of getting a digital X-ray machine, which is much-needed in the hospital.

A senior doctor of Sewri TB hospital said, “The fund was to be used for the purchase of two digital-X-ray and repairs of the machinery that are damaged and not in use. The number of TB patients is increasing day by day and X-ray is a must to detect the causes of TB.”

Dr Jagdish Keni, medical superintendent at Sewri TB Hospital, said, “This project file is with the F ward of the BMC. We are doing regular follows-ups with them but till (now) we have not got any assertive reply. (For the past) 10 months the money is lying there.”

However, BMC deputy commissioner Anand Wagaralkar said, “I need to check it. I don’t think there should be a problem in releasing the funds and if it is so, then it will be solved soon.”

Even though BMC’s budget allocation for the healthcare system has gone up marginally from Rs 3,325.51 crore in 2015-16 to Rs 3,693.74 crore in 2016-17, the city’s civic hospitals are finding it difficult to meet the demands of the rising number of patients.

Therefore, civic hospitals raise funds through medical social workers, NGOs and donations from cooperates through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) channel.

As per the government’s norms, the corporate sector must set aside two per cent of its net profit for CSR initiatives.