MUMBAI, August 1: The general body meeting of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was adjourned yesterday following a furore over the delay in purchase of basic protective gear against AIDS (Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome) for the civic hospital staff.

The matter came up for discussion when leader of the house Nandu Satam (Shiv Sena) issued an adjournment motion protesting the re-issue of tenders for the purchase of basic infection prevention gear like face masks, aprons, caps, shoe-covers, goggles etc, for medical and paramedical staff in civic hospitals.

Satam said the tenders were first invited in January 1997. The bidding companies were approved by the BMC tender committee and other experts. The samples obtained from the companies were also cleared by the government approved laboratory after stringent quality and durability tests.

``However, due to the irrational policy of the BMC and whims of certain members of the tender committee, it was decided to reinvite the tenders,'' Satam said, adding that this will lead to an unreasonable delay in the purchase of the protective gear for the hospital staff.

Satam said five doctors at the Nair hospital were HIV (Human Immuno-deficiency Virus) positive but they continued to work without the protective gear. One nurse has already died of full-blown AIDS at the Cooper Hospital while one more is in a serious condition, he revealed.

The motion by the leader of the House was supported by all parties except the Congress. Former mayor R R Singh and Ravindra Pawar accused Satam of interfering with official procedure. ``The invitation of tenders and other technicalities are for the tender committee to decide and any corporator, especially the leader of the house should not interfere in their work,'' they said.

Chairman of the tender committee, Deputy Municipal Commissioner S K Singh, while replying to the motion said the protective gear sought to be purchased was only for universal protection from all infections. ``As infection of HIV virus can be contracted only due to sexual transmission, blood transfusion or infected syringes, wearing of the protective gear is merely a precaution, not specifically against AIDS,'' he said.

Singh agreed that the BMC had sanctioned Rs 1.10 crore to the AIDS Cell at its Kamathipura Eye Hospital for procuring the protective gear, but said bulk purchases were never done by the cell. Two of the sample products did not pass the laboratory tests, and reinvitation of tenders became necessary as the civic administration could not relax the rules, the DMC further clarified.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.