365 nurses got ‘training’ at Bhabha Hospital’s five-hour session in a 50-seat hall — for a fee
50-seater hall at Bhabha Hospital, where nursing education session was conducted. Pic/Ritika Gondhalekar
A serious controversy has erupted in Mumbai’s healthcare and medical training community following allegations of fraudulent practices in the issuance of Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) certificates at Bhabha Hospital, Bandra. The Rashtriya Mulnivasi Bahujan Karmachari Sangh (RMBKS), a workers’ union representing healthcare employees, has alleged that CNE certificates were distributed to hundreds of nurses without any actual training sessions being conducted.
According to a letter submitted by RMBKS to Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, organisers of the Continuous Nursing Education / Continuous Professional Development (CNE/CPD) courses have been charging nurses between Rs 300 and Rs 2000 to attend sessions and receive certificates.
“As per the Indian Nursing Council’s rules, these sessions must be conducted free of cost for all nurses, with credit points awarded based on the duration of each session. However, the organisers have turned this educational activity into a money-making exercise,” said Avinash Shende, RMBKS chief secretary (Maharashtra Chapter). “When a similar session was held in Nagpur, we protested and got the fees waived. What was the need to charge in the first place, especially against the rules?” he questioned.
Session at Bhabha Hospital
A senior official from Bhabha Hospital, Bandra, revealed that the Trained Nurses Association (TNA) – Maharashtra Chapter had approached the hospital seeking space to conduct a session on October 3. “Initially, we agreed, since such education is important for nurses. At first, they didn’t mention any fees. Later, we learned they planned to charge Rs 500 per nurse. We objected, and they reduced it to Rs 300. We were unaware that this has to be conducted free of charge, and we trusted them,” the official said.
A copy of the certificate issued to the nurses after the session. Pic/By Special Arrangement
He added that 365 CNE certificates were generated — copies of which are in mid-day’s possession — during a single-day session in the hospital’s meeting hall. “Seeing such a large number shocked me. The hall can seat only 50 people, or around 70 if everyone stands. It’s impossible that 365 nurses attended a five-hour session in that space. Clearly, the organisers failed to deliver any real training,” he said.
‘Impossible and corrupt’
Shende also raised doubts about the legitimacy of the session. “How can over 300 nurses be trained effectively in five hours in a hall that holds only 50? Were they trained in shifts? Was the content even taught? This is blatant corruption,” he said.