Mahim hospital becomes first private entity in Mumbai that will take in patients, including those with multi-drug resistant, at subsidised rates under the government's National TB Control programme
Hinduja Hospital is renowned for treatment of drug-resistant Tuberculosis
Soon, drug-resistant tuberculosis patients will be able to avail treatment and medicines at Hinduja Hospital at subsidised rates under the government's National TB Control programme. Hinduja is well-known for treating drug-resistant TB cases, and this is the first time that a private hospital will provide this treatment at government rates.
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Sources said that the TB department of BMC sent a proposal to Hinduja, asking them to start an OPD for drug-resistant TB patients.
"As the hospital was eager to help TB patients, we sent them a proposal 16 days ago to start an OPD for drug-resistant TB patients. The treatment and medicine for OPD patients will be charged as per the exempted rate under the National TB programme. But it will be up to the hospital whether they want to admit a patient or not, and after admission, the treatment would be as per the hospital rate. We will not interfere in that; we will only look into the management of patients on OPD basis," said Dr Daksha Shah, in-charge of the TB department of BMC.
Apart from this, the department will also launch OPDs at two government hospitals — GT and Cooper. This will bring the number of tuberculosis OPDs up to 11 by the end of April. This includes the existing centres at KEM, Sion, Nair, Sewri, JJ, Shatabdi and Sarvodaya hospitals.
"We are starting the centres so that patients don't have to travel too far for treatment," said Dr Shah.
Dr Zarir Udawadia, consulting chest physician at Hinduja, was unavailable for comment. However, a hospital official confirmed, "The project is currently in the process of being approved."
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