Protest Erupts Against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Over Hospital Privatisation

Shouting slogans like “Stop Privatisation of Hospitals! Hospitals are for public need! Not for corporate greed!” the protesters directly visited the ward office and waited outside the office for two hours, demanding to contact the additional municipal commissioner of health vehemently regarding their problems. The demonstration, which began at the Lallubhai Compound and ended at the ward office in Govandi, saw participation from people across the M-East ward—including areas such as Shivaji Nagar, Deonar, Cheetah Camp, Mankhurd, and parts of Chembur. With nearly 80% of the population in the ward residing in slum areas, the residents heavily depend on these public hospitals for accessible and affordable healthcare, reports Hindustan Times.

“The majority of the citizens of the M-East division live in slums, and do not even have a regular, nutritious food supply. In this context, effective government public health services become a matter of life and death,” said Baban Thake, Mumbai coordinator of the Revolutionary Workers Party of India, a part of the committee. They also urged the corporation to activate the Maharashtra Nagar Maternity Home without delay and suggested holding monthly public grievance meetings to ensure better communication and accountability.

Many protesters shared personal experiences highlighting the inadequate healthcare in the area. After reaching the ward office, the demonstrators waited for two hours, seeking a meeting with the additional municipal commissioner for health to present their demands directly. A resident of Mankhurd told Hindustan Times, “The laboratories are not functional, there are no beds or staff members, none of the hospitals have medications. With further privatisation, the costs will only increase. How are we supposed to pay for this? The poor will only die going forward.”