Aapli Chikitsa contractor seeks more time from BMC

The contractor in charge of running Mumbai's Aapli Chikitsa centres, which provide subsidised pathology tests, has sought more time to improve services after receiving a show cause notice from the civic body. Krsnaa Diagnostics Ltd won the contract to conduct the tests but has been criticised for delays in providing diagnostic facilities, with some centres not operational and reports delayed. The company has also failed to provide Covid-19 testing kits in all locations, according to BMC health officials. The corporation outsourced laboratory testing for 190 dispensaries, 107 HBT clinics, all BMC-run maternity homes and special hospitals to Krsnaa.

Mumbai: Following a show cause notice from the civic body for not ensuring smooth functioning of Aapli Chikitsa centres, the contractor, in-charge of running the centres, said they are improving and has sought more time to iron out their issues. This will only prolong the wait of citizens, who want to avail diagnostic facilities at subsidised rates.

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Aapli Chikitsa (Your diagnosis) — one of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) ambitious project — was rolled out four years back to provide Mumbai citizens with basic and advanced pathology tests at subsidised rates. Krsnaa Diagnostics Ltd was awarded the contract by BMC after quoting the lowest price ( ₹86) for basic tests to conduct pathology tests starting March 6.

A BMC health official said, “In their reply (to notice), they said they are improving, and they require some more time (to smoothen services).”

Pallavi Jain, the managing director of Krsnaa Diagnostics, said, “We have submitted the reply to BMC’s show cause notice on April 3. We have improved our services as compared to the first week when we started off.”

The corporation had issued the show cause notice to Jain on March 29 after Krsnaa Diagnostics failed to fulfil its commitment to providing smooth diagnostic facilities to patients in their dispensaries, maternity homes, clinics and hospitals.

According to the BMC health officials, as per the work order, they were supposed to start the services immediately. However, within a week of starting the services, BMC started receiving complaints with many centres not operational and patients receiving diagnostic reports after days of delay. BMC health officials said they were also not receiving the patients’ reports as per the contract.

“They have streamlined 75-80% of the work but still, at many places, the diagnostic reports are either delayed or incomplete,” said a senior BMC health official.

A BMC health official said that the company has also failed to provide Covid-19 testing kits in all locations, which is of particular concern given the current rise in Covid-19 cases.

“The testing kits are either not available or there is limited stock in some centres. With fever, cough and cold cases on the rise along with Covid-19 cases, it is important that we do tests. Still, there are centres where patients are getting the basic blood reports after 48 hours,” said the health official.

Jain said they are ensuring the covid-19 testing samples are also processed on time. “We have added and increased the Covid-19 testing material. We have procured the kits too,” she said adding that their other services are up and running in all 354 locations.

HT, on March 18, reported about centres either being shut or not giving reports on time after which, IS Chahal, the civic commissioner, held a meeting with Krsnaa Diagnostics on the same day instructing them to resolve all the issues on a war footing.

BMC health officials had then said Krsnaa diagnostics had asked for a week’s time to fix the problem saying it’s a teething phase.

Under the scheme, the corporation outsourced laboratory testing for 190 dispensaries, 107 HBT clinics, all BMC-run maternity homes and special hospitals to the private laboratory. There are 139 tests that can be done at these centres, of which 101 tests are basic and 38 tests are advanced tests.