32 hospital staffers died of TB

The Municipal Mazdoor Union has alleged that in the last five years, 60 employees of the BMC-run Sewri TB hospital have suffered from tuberculosis. Of these, 32 have allegedly died and 28 are taking treatment.

After repeated agitation and protests to get the government to implement their long-pending demand of healthcare cover for the employees, the union, on Friday, decided to adopt the Gandhian way of protest. They gifted Gandhi caps and flowers to the hospital authorities.

According to the union, the hospital, one of Asia’s largest
tuberculosis facility, bears the look of complete neglect. Due to the bad working conditions, no employee wants to work there. Most of the top posts in the hospital are vacant including that of the medical superintendent, administrative officer and 100 class four employee posts and also some nursing jobs.

The 1000-bed hospital has more than 700 patients and patients come from all over the state for treatment.

“Employees look at a transfer to the hospital as a punishment. As the authorities do not take proper care of employees working at the hospital, they do not get treatment if they suffer from TB. This is not the first time we have protested, but the authorities have still not fulfilled our demands. Hence this time, we have decided to protest the Gandhian way. We have given a Gandhian cap and flowers to the officials. Now the executive health officer has assured us that they will fulfill our demand,” said Pradeep Narkar, secretary of Municipal Mazdoor Union.

He added, “The hospital does not provide a second line of treatment for employees having TB. They have to buy drugs from outside.”

When contacted, Dr Girish Ambe, executive health officer BMC said, “Yes it true that in the last five years, employees have died of TB. But I have to clarify one thing: when they know they have TB, they do not come immediately for treatment; they go on leave. We have a provision where we can give TB treatment to BMC employee free of cost. Last year, we made a Rs3 crore provision in the budget to give a second line of treatment to staff who have TB. But employees have to take benefit of this scheme.”