The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is procuring a specialised infection control product for its major hospitals at a cost of ₹4.27 crores, a move that has raised eyebrows among medical professionals. The product, described as "anti-infective bed cover mats," is not widely recognised by infection control specialists, and its real-world effectiveness in a hospital setting remains unproven by clinical trials.
The Procurement and The Claims
According to the tender details, the BMC is purchasing 43,000 of these mats for distribution across four of its premier medical college hospitals: KEM, Sion, Cooper, and Nair. The supply contract has been awarded to a real estate firm, Veer Housing Projects LLP, which is sourcing the product from Pioneer Polyleather Pvt LTD, a company based in Uttarakhand.
The supplier makes significant claims about the product's capabilities. They state that the mats are antimicrobial, re-washable, waterproof, and odour-free. Crucially, they assert that the mats can reduce dangerous pathogens like E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, and Aspergillus niger fungus by 99.99%. The anti-microbial effect is said to last for up to 10 washes, with each mat being usable for approximately one week in a hospital setting.
Lack of Clinical Validation and Expert Skepticism
While the supplier points to lab reports that supported the tender process, a critical piece of evidence is missing: clinical trials in a real-world hospital environment. The product is not part of established infection control guidelines from bodies like the WHO or the Indian government. This gap between laboratory results and practical hospital application is a major concern for specialists.
Dr. Mandar Kubal, an infectious disease specialist, noted the product resembles those sold for home use. "They say we have copper or zinc in it to make it antibacterial, but there are no strong clinical studies to back it," he said. Other experts, including Dr. Anita Mathew and Dr. Hemalata Arora, confirmed they had never used or heard of such a product in their professional circles, casting doubt on its prevalence and proven reliability.
A former dean of one of the four hospitals revealed that procuring such a product was previously discussed but shelved because it was a new concept with high costs. A microbiologist from a state government hospital suggested that companies often use public health setups to validate products based solely on lab reports, implying this might be a similar case.
Procurement Process and Hospital Allocation
Questions have also been raised about the tender process itself. A microbiology department from one of the beneficiary medical colleges indicated that the original specifications for the mats were changed at a later stage. "We were told to adopt state government specifications; once there is an order like that, rarely does it face a challenge," the source stated.
Despite the uncertainties, the BMC has proceeded with the large-scale purchase. The allocation among the hospitals is as follows:
- KEM Hospital: 200 mats for one year
- Sion Hospital: 19,000 mats
- Cooper Hospital: 7,500 mats
- Nair Hospital: 16,900 mats
The supplier maintains that they have followed due process, mentioning that a random sample test conducted by the BMC was passed. However, with Dr. Sharad Ughade, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Health), unavailable for comment, the civic body's stance on the experts' concerns remains unclear.
This procurement highlights the ongoing tension between adopting innovative solutions for infection control and the imperative for evidence-based, clinically validated practices in public healthcare spending.
