Mumbai: BMC run Sion hospital to outsource chapatis for patients

The supply of chapatis served to patients admitted to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Sion Hospital will now be 'outsourced'. Sion Hospital will be the first civic-run hospital to make this change.

The hospital has floated a tender for the supply of chapatis for around 1300 patients daily. The cost is expected to be INR 13 per patient for four chapatis, with the municipal corporation spending an estimated INR 20 lakh over the 120-day contract period.

As per the tender terms, all chapatis should be made only from wheat flour used in government or BMC hospitals. Each roti should weigh 25–30 grams and should be toasted on all sides. The oil in the chapati should be branded refined peanut oil or rice bran oil. The contractor should deliver it between 9.00 am to 9.30 am and 4.00 pm to 4.30 pm every day.

It is mandatory to deliver chapatis in clean, hygienic containers, even on Sundays, public holidays, or strikes. The daily supply should be as per the patients' diet chart and the hospital's dietician will check and approve the contractor's bill daily. Earlier, chapatis were supplied from the hospital's own kitchen. If chapatis are provided late, the hospital will not accept them. A fine of INR 3 will be levied for each full number of chapatis not provided on that day.

If the chapatis are found to be substandard or not as per the tender specifications, the contractor must rectify the same immediately. If not, the hospital will purchase chapatis from the open market and recover the additional cost from the contractor's bill as a penalty. The aim of this decision is to make food services in hospitals more flexible and ensure timely, clean and quality food supply to patients.

The BMC has also made quality inspection and compliance with regulations mandatory. The supplier must obtain a health certificate from the F/North Ward office within three months of receiving the contract. The hospital will periodically inspect raw materials such as chapatis and wheat flour.

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