Shiv Sena corporators seek cosmetic surgery centres for the poor

Jadhav said that cosmetic surgery is not only done to make one look good but it helps people dealing with physical deformities, too. Jadhav further said, “Only the rich can afford cosmetic surgery, but when it comes to those belonging to economically weaker background it becomes unaffordable. Hence the BMC should make the services available at affordable rates at civic hospitals.” Jadhav added that the BMC should start its own cosmetic surgery centres to help people in need and should also provide free consultation and guidance to people in terms of medical advice. However, a senior BMC official that the process and equipment involved in cosmetic surgery are expensive. “We are already facing losses at our hospitals. Still we can seek CSR help in this. We will look into it soon, if it will really help needy and poor,” the official said.

In an effort to increase its revenue, the civic body had last year hiked treatment cost for patients coming from outside Mumbai. According to the civic health department, in 2016-17, the BMC had observed in its budget that nearly 45 per cent of the total patients treated in civic hospitals come from outside Mumbai. However, the civic body receives hardly 6-7 per cent of the total spending on healthcare facilities.

The last hike in hospital rates was in 2000, following which the rates in BMC have remained stagnant even though cost of healthcare has increased. In 2014-15, the civic body generated a revenue of Rs 63.39 crore as against the expenditure of 749.67 crore in healthcare.