This statement concerns the recent proposal by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to lease its newly constructed super-specialty hospital to Narayana Health for a period of 30 years. The hospital occupies 20,000 sq ft on Broadway Road in Shivajinagar.

The Peoples’ Union for Civil Liberties sees this proposal as sign of intended theft against the people of this city with a view to deny them a very basic human right, the right to healthcare. This plan goes against the public interest of ensuring that every resident in this city has access to healthcare, and is another example of private companies profiting at the withdrawal of the public sector in ensuring adequate health for all.

Worse still is the loss of public resources is direct, leading to a literal loss of public property to Nayarana Health to the tune of Rs. 50 Crore invested. Nayarana, in return, will provide only 10% of their beds free of cost, and only devote 3% of its revenue to subsidizing care for the poor. This does not benefit the public in any meaningful way and is a transparent distribution of resources to a private corporation.

This act amounts to a subsidy of a major corporation at the cost of public funds. The land and facilities belong to the common man, and this handover amounts to a theft from our collective rights. The property should be used to ensure healthcare for every person, but instead it is a readymade gift to a private corporation, which will profit off its graces. The handover represents a loss to the public healthcare system.

We request that you urgently put a stop to this handover to Narayana Health by the BBMP of the new super specialty hospital on Broadway Road in the interest of the public’s right to enjoy the investment that this government has put into their healthcare.

Note: This is a press release sent by People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), published here with minimal edits, in Message Forward section, meant for nonprofit public interest messages.