Gujarat health department red tape: Checked by private hospital, silicosis victims refused compensation

By Our Representative

Gujarat’s powerful health officialdom has created yet another hurdle in the payment of compensation to the victims of the deadly disease, silicosis. It has questioned the diagnosis of the disease by a privately-run reputed hospital operating in Anand district. This came to light in a strongly-worded representation made by the People’s Training and Research Centre’s (PTRC’s) Jagdish Patel to state health minister Nitin Patel.

The representation wonders whether the hospital in question, which tested these patients, is recognized by the state officialdom at all, and if yes, then why is its expert doctors’ diagnosis being questioned.

According to the representation, an outpatient department (OPD) of the Karamsad-based Pramukh Swami Medical College-cum-Shri Krishna Hospital has been in existence at the PTRC’s office of Shakarpur area in Khambhat taluka ever since 2007. Khambhat, and especially Shakrpur, is notorious for large number of silicosis cases, caused by polishing stones in tens of agate units. Read more

Courtesy: Counterview