Serious patients suffer as after five years, ESIC hospital resumes but only with OPD

he Marol hospital shut down in 2018 following a fire. For the last five years, employees have been paying their contribution towards the ESIC scheme (which provides free medical treatment and facilities to labourers covered under it) from their salary but have been forced to go to other ESIC hospitals, which, they claimed, cost them in terms of time and transport money

Mumbai: The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospital at Marol, the largest ESIC hospital in Mumbai with a capacity of 350 beds and superspecialty facilities, finally restarted operations on August 14 after a gap of four years and eight months. However, only the OPD facility has begun.

Mumbai, India - Aug 17, 2023 : SIES Hospital , MIDC, Andheri, in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Aug 17, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

Although the restarting has given some relief to over six lakh workers registered with the hospital, beleaguered patients are demanding that the hospital be fully restarted. Patients visiting the OPD have mixed feelings, as they have to go elsewhere for diagnostic testing and hospital admission (see box).

The Marol hospital shut down in 2018 following a fire. For the last five years, employees have been paying their contribution towards the ESIC scheme (which provides free medical treatment and facilities to labourers covered under it) from their salary but have been forced to go to other ESIC hospitals, which, they claimed, cost them in terms of time and transport money. A PIL was recently filed with a demand to restart the hospital, and several legislators from Mumbai also raised their voice about this during the monsoon session of the state legislature. The government thus restarted the OPD facility on August 14.

According to the hospital staff, the OPD was started in a hurry and without supporting diagnostic testing facilities. “The cardiology OPD has still not begun,” said a staff member. “Facilities for CT scans, MRIs and sonographies are scarce due to equipment issues and a manpower shortage, since some of the staff here was asked to work at the Kandivali ESIC hospital.” The staff member added that since 2009, about ₹250 crore had been spent on upgradation and construction and about ₹50 crore on equipment. “When so much money has been spent, the administration needs to speed up things and make sure that the hospital functions at full capacity,” he said.

Rajesh Sharma, who filed the PIL in the Bombay high court, criticised the government and hospital administration for starting the OPD facility without supporting infrastructure. “According to estimates, over 600,000 employees attached to the Marol ESIC hospital contributed around ₹3,000 crores in the last five years but did not get medical facilities as the hospital was not working,” he said. “There will be another hearing of my PIL on August 23 and the government will submit a reply. That is why the government started the OPD so hastily without adequate testing facilities.”

When contacted, Dr Girish Kumar, medical superintendent of the hospital said, “We have got an NOC from the fire department and begun the OPD. We will start the Indoor Patients Department soon.”

BOX 1

Importance of ESI Andheri

The Marol ESIC space is spread over 12 acres, and comprises the hospital, servant quarters and the Post Graduate Institute for Medical Science & Research (PGIMSR). Prior to the fire, the 350-bed hospital had superspecialities such as cardiology and nephrology, an operation theatre and a blood bank. Round-the-clock services were also available in pathology and radiology, and there was a daily OPD of about 1,800 patients. On August 14, only the OPD service was resumed.

BOX 2

Patient voices

SUNIL JHA, RESTAURANT WORKER

I am diabetic and faced a lot of trouble when the hospital was shut for more than four years. We had to go to the Kandivali hospital for treatment, which was time- and money-consuming. I spent around ₹10,000 annually even after paying my ESIC contribution. It is good that this hospital has restarted but it needs to be made fully operational.

MUTHANNA CHELMELA, ELECTRICIAN

I had a paralysis attack three years ago, but as this hospital was closed I had no choice but to go to Kandivali. I spent ₹500 for every visit on transport. It is a big relief that the OPD has started.

DESANA DABHADE, WIFE OF ESIC CARD-HOLDER

I have to do sonographies and blood tests as and when doctors prescribe them but those facilities are not operational here. The government needs to restart them as soon as possible to do justice to those who pay ESIC contributions every month.

SHUBHA SUVRANA, PANTRY WORKER

I suffer from hepatitis and am pregnant right now. When I visited the Kandivali hospital a few days ago, they told me to go to the Marol one. But I will have to get admitted to the Kandivali hospital for my delivery since the admission facility is not operational here.

BHOLANATH TIWARI, SECURITY GUARD

I am a blood pressure patient. My wife is diabetic and also has a thyroid disorder. We have suffered in the last five years—apart from the money spent, visiting Kandivali every time is time-consuming. They need to start all diagnostic facilities so that patients don’t have to go elsewhere.