Surgeries at hospital in Ulhasnagar stalled over unpaid bills

Patients await surgery at the hospital. PICS/NAVNEET BARHATE

Orthopedic implant surgeries at Ulhasnagar Central Hospital have been stalled for nearly two months under the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) due to non-payment of supplier bills, said hospital authorities, leaving patients in need of urgent surgeries waiting, especially those from financially weak backgrounds, severely impacting their daily lives.

At least six patients at Ulhasnagar's municipal hospital have been awaiting surgery for over a month due to a shortage of implants and prosthetic devices. Officials aware of the matter said that the suppliers have halted deliveries required for the surgeries due to pending payments from the hospital, leaving many patients, unable to afford private treatment, to continue to wait.

Ulhasnagar Central Hospital

"I have been waiting for one-and-a-half months for my leg surgery," said a patient scheduled for a rod insertion procedure. Others face similar delays, enduring prolonged pain and uncertainty about when they will finally receive treatment. Dr Utkarsh Dudhediya, additional surgeon and orthopaedist, confirmed, saying, "The delay is due to a lack of funds, but we are working to resolve the matter immediately."

What is MJPJAY scheme?

Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) is a health insurance scheme launched by the Maharashtra government to provide cashless treatment through a network of government and private healthcare providers. The scheme offers coverage of R1.5 lakh per family per year for 996 medical and surgical procedures, including 121 follow-up treatments.

It covers orthopaedic surgeries, including joint replacements, and provides for surgical appliances, medicines, implants, and prosthetic devices. Beneficiaries must be Maharashtra residents with an annual income of below Rs 1 lakh.