Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had granted an additional 0.5 Floor Space Index (FSI) to private hospitals such as Ruby Hall Clinic, Sahyadri Hospital (Deccan), and Inlaks Budhrani K.K. Eye Institute, on the condition that they would provide free beds to poor patients recommended by the PMC. However, an investigation through RTI has revealed that these hospitals have largely failed to fulfill this obligation.
Information obtained through the Right to Information Act by Vivek Velankar, President of Sajag Nagrik Manch, shows that these hospitals have provided free treatment to only a fraction of the required number of patients.
While Ruby Hall Clinic was expected to treat 12 patients annually, it only treated 49 over two years. Sahyadri Hospital and K.K. Eye Institute have similarly fallen short, treating 40 and 51 patients, respectively, over the same period.
The lack of awareness about this scheme and the narrow definition of "poor and needy" used by the PMC, which only considers those earning less than ₹50,000 annually, are major contributing factors.
Velankar argues that even individuals earning up to ₹3 lakh annually should qualify for these free beds.
The issue extends to other institutions as well, such as the AIIMS hospital in Aundh, where an agreement to reserve 10% of beds for PMC-referred patients has resulted in minimal utilization.
The PMC's Acting Health Chief, Dr. Kalpana Baliwant, has vowed to increase the number of poor patients receiving free treatment and to pressure these hospitals into complying with their obligations.
