Mumbai Hospital Faces Scrutiny Over Patient Report Paper Plates

King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Mumbai, Maharashtra, has been served a notice seeking explanations. The hospital, known for its accessibility to the public, came under scrutiny following a viral video depicting plates made from papers bearing hospital names, patient details, and medical procedures.

Former Mayor Kishori Pednekar highlighted the issue on social media, accusing the hospital administration of severe negligence.

हे काय चाललंय ??
प्रशासन जागे व्हा…!
एवढा अंधाधुनी कारभार करू नका ⁦@mybmc⁩ ⁦@mybmcHealthDept⁩ pic.twitter.com/6gUw6BSSGA

— Kishori Pednekar (@KishoriPednekar) July 5, 2024

Responding to the concerns, KEM’s Dean, Dr. Sangeeta Ravat, clarified that the plates were not crafted from patient reports but from old CT scan folders repurposed by scrap dealers without proper disposal procedures. She explained to PTI, ‘These folders were not patient reports but old CT scan folders provided to scrap dealers. The oversight was in failing to shred them before disposal.’

Six employees have been summoned to provide explanations. BMC has established a committee led by the Deputy Commissioner (Public Health) to investigate the matter, and the municipal administration has sought clarification from the hospital’s dean.

According to BMC, patients typically receive CT scan, MRI, and X-ray reports in paper folders, which are eventually handed over to scrap vendors as part of the disposal process. However, in this case, the relevant folders were not shredded before disposal.

The municipal authorities have indicated that the handling of materials by the scrap vendor was not executed correctly. BMC has issued directives to responsible parties to oversee and improve this process.