BMC's subsidised diagnostic tests scheme all set to restart

Time of India

24-04-2025

Mumbai: After a gap of four months, the civic administration could soon restart its ambitious
Aapli Chikitsa programme
to provide diagnostic tests for free or at subsidised rates to citizens.
Lifenity Health Ltd
, headquartered in Pune and with a laboratory in Lower Parel, has emerged as the lowest bidder in the BMC's tender process, offering a rate of Rs 90 against the estimated cost of Rs 100 for basic tests. The BMC subsidises these tests—nearly 100 basic tests and 40 advanced tests—by paying the difference to the empanelled company.
The previously empanelled company, Krsnaa Diagnostics, had a rate of Rs 86 for basic tests. However, their nearly two-year tenure was marred by delays in handing over patients' diagnostic reports, disrupted service in many hospitals, as well as protests over BMC's alleged delays in clearing dues. This time around, a senior BMC official said, the rates were better discussed.
"Against an estimated cost of Rs 376, we got a bid for Rs 495 for the advanced tests," he said.
The official mentioned that the appointment of a contractor would be finalised soon as there is an "urgent requirement" to get the diagnostic process operational again in the city ahead of the monsoons.
Over 4,000 blood samples would be collected every day on average by the Aapli Chikitsa contractor from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's public healthcare machinery—ranging from dispensaries, HBT or mohalla clinics, to suburban hospitals. Infectious diseases such as malaria, leptospirosis, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, and dengue are among the most commonly conducted tests in monsoons.
This time around, the BMC received two bids for the tender—one from Lifinity and another from Thyrocare Lab. Samajwadi Party MLA and former BMC corporator Rais Shaikh said that the Aapli Chikitsa scheme is much needed and the municipal corporation should have ensured that a new contractor was appointed long before the earlier contract expired. "When the authorities knew that the contract was ending, they should have ensured that there is a new contractor in place. This gap with free diagnostic service only impacts citizens," Shaikh said.
However, officials of the BMC denied that patients were affected by the delay in restarting the subsidised tests scheme. The old contract ended on December 15, 2024, but the BMC rolled out a standard operating procedure to get the tests done in-house. "The BMC invited bids and received bids from two diagnostic companies but could not finalise a company and award the contract as the companies failed to negotiate a lower price with the BMC," said an official.
In the previous tender, Krsnaa Diagnostics was awarded the contract by the BMC for four years. But the total quantity of tests was fixed, and this amount got exhausted, effectively ending the contract.
A public health expert said that the rates mentioned in the BMC's tender documents are not feasible to conduct basic tests. "Even if the costs of testing are low, how does one account for salaries of phlebotomists and paramedical workers at such low rates? Delays and protests are likely to continue," said the doctor, who didn't want to be identified.