Protest Erupts Against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Over Hospital Privatisation

The protest was organised by the “Save Hospital, Stop Privatisation” action committee, demanding improved healthcare facilities and immediate withdrawal of the tenders issued under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

According to the Daily, the protesters strongly opposed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision to partially privatise six city hospitals, including Lallubhai and Shatabdi, arguing that it would limit healthcare access for the underprivileged. They demanded the immediate cancellation of the tenders and called for urgent improvements in hospital services, ICU and NICU facilities, and the establishment of free diagnostic centres within a month.

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.”

The BMC on March 5 first announced a tender to privatise Lallubhai hospital, and on June 13, a tender was issued to Shatabdi hospital, along with disclosing a plan to introduce a 100-seat private medical college in the hospital. According to the tenders, Shatabdi Hospital, with 581 beds, is to be managed by a private entity, reserving 70% of beds for paying patients and only 30% for those referred by the corporation at discounted rates. Similarly, Lallubhai Compound Hospital, which has 410 beds, will reserve only 150 for BMC-referred patients, while the remaining 260 beds are meant for low-income individuals holding orange or yellow ration cards.

Speaking at the protest, health expert and Jan Swasthya Abhiyan’s national co-convener Dr. Abhay Shukla criticised the PPP model. “There are already 20 hospitals operating under PPP arrangements within BMC limits, and yet public healthcare remains severely strained,” he said. These need to be reviewed immediately before deciding to introduce more such models. The hospitals under PPP have doctors on a contractual basis with no accountability, nor are they trained to handle ICU cases. The quality of care is significantly compromised in such hospitals. This is a serious problem that we are challenging. Corporation hospitals can at least be held accountable.”