CM instructs BMC hospitals to implement 'Zero Prescription Policy'

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to implement 'Zero Prescription Policy' for all medical facilities and medicines provided at BMC Hospital after a detailed review. Report should be submitted. The BMC will be the first civic body in the country to implement 'Zero Prescription Policy' thus making health services free and completely people-centric.

CM Shinde visited KEM Hospital. During discussions with patients and citizens at that time, some errors were pointed out. The medicines and resources available in the BMC Hospital are spent on the treatment of patients through relatives. Poor patients bear the additional burden of these costs. About 10 percent of citizens fall below the poverty line due to out-of-pocket expenses on health care. The BMC has been directed to implement "Zero Prescription Policy" to provide free services to poor patients through municipal hospitals. For this, the Chief Minister has also directed the Municipal Commissioner to conduct a detailed study in this regard and submit a report.

Also Read: Big Relief For Mumbaikars! No Increase In Water Tax This Year BMC is running four medical colleges, one dental college, 16 suburban hospitals, five specialised hospitals, 30 maternity hospitals, and 192 dispensaries. Apart from this, 202 Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray "Aapla Dawakhana" is also being handled. This medical system has 7100 beds in hospitals, 4000 in suburban hospitals, 3000 in specialised hospitals and others totaling about 15 thousand beds. More than 50,000 patients benefit from outpatient services every day. Also, on an average, more than 20 lakh patients benefit from inter-patient services annually.