Borivali to get clinic, diagnostic and dialysis centre under BMC's PPP model
MUMBAI: The BMC is set to operationalise a new clinic and a diagnostic and dialysis centre in Borivali West under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The facility, housed in a two-storey building located in Punjabi Galli, was originally constructed for this before the COVID-19 pandemic but was repurposed as a quarantine centre for asymptomatic patients during the outbreak.
A senior BMC official, requesting anonymity, said, 'Patients often have to travel long distances and wait in long queues at tertiary hospitals for specialty services. This centre will help reduce that burden by providing consultations and diagnostics locally at affordable rates, saving both time and transport costs for residents.'
According to BMC health department sources, a tender has already been floated for the project, which will run on a 30-year PPP basis. The centre will offer a wide range of services, from general outpatient consultations to advanced radiological and pathological diagnostics, under one roof. General OPD consultations will be priced at ₹10, while specialty and super-specialty consultations will cost ₹293 and ₹345 respectively.
The facility will be equipped with a diagnostic unit offering X-ray, ECG, sonography, CT scan, MRI, mammography, and pulmonary function tests, all at rates approved by the BMC. Apart from this, the clinic will provide medical consultations across disciplines such as gynaecology, cardiology, internal medicine and urology. Testing costs for hundreds of procedures have been fixed in advance, with services to be delivered at par with civic rates.
As per the proposed plan, the ground floor will include registration counters, general and specialty OPDs, and a radiology unit along with a generic pharmacy. The first floor will accommodate superspecialty OPDs, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and laboratories for advanced pathology, microbiology and endocrinology. The second floor will be designated for dialysis services and dental care.
The rollout of services is time-bound. The private operator selected through the tender process will be required to launch OPD services within four months, followed by basic pathology and radiology within six months, and CT and MRI services within nine months.
The facility is intended to reduce the patient load at tertiary public hospitals such as KEM, Nair and Sion by offering advanced diagnostics and consultations at a local level. To ensure fair access, a Special Duty Officer will be appointed. Concessional rates will be extended to Mumbai-based ration-card holders and BMC employees.
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