Skip to main content

Omicron alarm: Demand to 'serve' poor by reviving Ahmedabad's VS Hospital

By A Representative 

Even as the Omicron threat looms large over Gujarat, as in other parts of India, independent and permanent board members of the Chinai Maternity and Sarabhai General Hospitals (VSH), Ahmedabad, have sharply criticized the city corporation authorities for closing down VSH and transferring its beds, equipment and staff to the newly built adjacent “profit-oriented” Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (SVP) Hospital bypassing them, allegedly for promoting medical tourism.
Jay Sheth, Dr Nishith Shah, Rupa Chinai and Brijesh Chinai, who represent the donor families of the VS Hospital, established in 1930 with the blessings of Sardar Patel and Gandhiji, said in a statement that the 1,155 bed VSH “was a fully functioning institution providing quality and affordable medical care to the poorest citizens of Ahmedabad” till the “transfer” took place in 2012.
The independent members, who make up almost half the nine member the board of management representing the Chinai and Sarabhai Trusts, said, in view of the next health crisis in the form of Omicron, the VHS “with its 1,155 beds and equipment” along with its permanent staff should be urgently restored and “brought back to full gear”.
Stating that it would also mean “restoration” of all powers to the VSH Board of Management, which are being “consistently undermined” by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) authorities, the statement said, this is particularly required now as, with the emergence of the Omicron strain, there is no other public hospitals to critically serve the poor sections of the city apart from the Civil Hospital and the VS Hospital.
Stating that the transfer process “was strongly opposed by us, who make up almost half the nine member Board of Management, who represent the Chinai and Sarabhai Trusts.”, statement said, “We had advised that while we have no issues with the new SVP Hospital, we felt that with basic repairs the VSH could continue to provide for the needs of the poor, while SVP catered to a different segment of society.”
“The matter has been contested since 2012 and is currently pending before the Gujarat High Court”, the statement said, adding, “During the past two years of the Covid pandemic, like all other administrations across the country, the Ahmedabad administration has also been under enormous pressure to ensure public health services provide access, quality and affordable critical care to the poorest of citizens.”
It underlined, “We have repeatedly advised the VS Board to bring back their entire permanent staff that have been transferred out to other institutions. Instead the board has been making contractual appointments and bringing in untrained staff who have no commitment to public service. We have also demand the restoration of 1,155 beds and equipment that was transferred to SVP Hospital.”
Pointing out that “this too remains pending, while efforts are ongoing to sell off equipment from departments such as the Cath Lab, where charges were lower than that at SVP or private hospitals”, the statement regretted, “All this was done even while then Board Chairperson publicly declared that ‘not even a pin will be taken from VSH to SVP’.”

Comments

TRENDING

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative   A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.