Victims’ organisations cite violation of Supreme Court orders and potential harm to healthcare services
Team Clarion
BHOPAL — Four major organisations representing victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy have strongly condemned the proposed merger of Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal.
At a press conference here on Thursday, these groups called the merger a grave threat to the health of gas leak victims and demanded its immediate cancellation.
The organisations argue that the merger proposal violates the orders of the Supreme Court, which were specifically issued to ensure that the victims receive superior medical care. Concerned by the potential implications, they have written a letter to the Union minister of health and family welfare, urging the cancellation of the proposed merger.
Rashida Bee, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary Karamchari Sangh, expressed her concerns. “The proposed merger with AIIMS Bhopal will severely impact the healthcare services currently available to Bhopal gas victims. This ill-advised proposal was first introduced in 2018 but was rejected by a government-appointed high-powered committee in August 2019. It is baffling why this proposal is being revisited after five years,” she said.
She further emphasised that BMHRC was established exclusively to serve the needs of gas victims, and merging it with an institution like AIIMS, which caters to a large number of general patients, would be a grave injustice.
Balkrishna Namdev, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogi Sangharsh Morcha, stressed that the proposed merger is a blatant violation of the Supreme Court’s directives. “In its order dated 9th August 2012, the Supreme Court directed that BMHRC be made an autonomous teaching institution to attract top medical professionals and provide better care to gas victims. This merger would completely undermine that objective.”
Namdev also highlighted that AIIMS Bhopal began treating cancer patients among the gas victims in January 2024, following an order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. However, the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee found that patients at AIIMS Bhopal had to wait for three to four months to receive treatment. “This points to the dangers of the proposed merger,” he said.
Nawab Khan of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha criticised the lack of consultation with victim organisations regarding the proposed merger. “The fact that the authorities did not consult the victims on such a serious matter is deeply concerning. No Bhopal-based victim organisation was approached for an opinion on an issue that is critical to their health and survival.”
Nausheen Khan of Dow Kabide Khilaf Bachche Sangathan also expressed her dissatisfaction, saying, “It is shocking that those pushing this proposal did not consider it necessary to hear the victims’ voices. Ignoring the victims in such a crucial decision-making process is inexcusable.”
The issue of the proposed merger of Bhopal Memorial Hospital with AIIMS Bhopal is highly sensitive, as it directly affects the medical services relied upon by thousands of Bhopal gas tragedy victims. The organisations have appealed to the government to cancel the merger immediately, prioritising the health and well-being of the gas victims above all else.