Re: Parsi General Hospital-Medanta Concerns

[Note To Readers: Recently a Mumbai lawyer wrote to various government authorities and the CEO of Medanta allegedly insinuating non-issues regarding Medanta’s handling of the new medical facility at the Parsi General Hospital. Principal donors of Parsi General Hospital, Pervin and Jal Shroff, mailed Parsi Times the following communication with the BPP, requesting it to be shared in the larger interest of the Community.]

Over the last forty plus years, whenever we visited Mumbai, somehow we always had occasion to visit family or friends who were patients at the PGH and we could not help but be aware of what a “blessing ” it was for our community to have this exclusive excellent medical facility. In our small way, we ​regularly​ financially supported the corpus and the free ward of the PGH.

When I had the privilege to be the President​,​ for nearly twenty years​,​ of the Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton and Macao, my committee and I, with the full “backing” of the Hong Kong Parsee community, continued ​ to​ financially support the PGH ​, ​ but sadly it became obvious that the long term “viability” of the hospital was at serious risk due to lack of “funds” and “support” from the “affluent” section of our community, who in their own interest, rightly, preferred to go to the other Hospitals where they had the “latest diagnostic equipment ​ and better nursing”​ .

We, Pervin and I, ​personally​,​ ​ ​did ​ consider financing​,​ the setting up a small unit​,​ ​on the grounds of the PGH, ​ with the “latest diagnostic equipment” for the exclusive use of our Parsee Community, but ​after ​ consultation with some of our prominent Parsee doctors ​at the PGH ​ and our ​own ​ investigation, it became evident that lack of constant (regular) usage would “deteriorate” the “functionality” of the expensive equipment. ​Sad to say​,​ that we ​CAN NOT dispute the fact​,  that our numbers are decreasing. Another solution needed to be provided to ensure the long term viability of the existing EXCLUSIVE PGH​. ​

After nearly three years of exhaustive negotiations with various parties and with the FULL support and encouragement of the BPP (as per BPP letter Ref No. Est B/1111 dated 18^th June, 2014) we believe we ​now have the best solution that will ensure the following:

1. Safeguard the ​long-term EXCLUSIVE NATURE of the existing Parsee General Hospital.​ ​
   b. Ensure that sufficient finance is available to upgrade the Existing ​PGH, ​improve standards, and increase the intake of poor patients.
   c. ​Ensure that NO part of the PGH land belonging to our community is alienated.​ Actually, our ​Community’s ​ ​​ assets will increase by ​ approximately INR ​ 150 Crores! (The amount the donors have pledged to construct the New Hospital Building and pay for sundry associate charges).
   d. The New Hospital Building ​OWNERSHIP REMAINS 100% in the hands of our Community.
   e. Medanta will equip the Hospital Building with the latest, state-of-the-art medical equipment entirely at their expense. Medanta possesses the requisite knowledge, operating experience, expertise, skill and technical knowhow to equip, manage and operate the New Hospital.
   f. Medanta will pay a substantial Annuity (annual payment) to the existing PGH.
   ​g​. In addition to the Annuity, Medanta will also pay a percentage of their annual gross Billable Revenue to existing PGH
   ​h​. Medanta will assist PGH free of cost in training nursing staff and medical personnel attached to the existing PGH.
   ​i​. Medanta will give preference to the poor, indigent and weaker section ​ of our community, ​ referred to by the existing PGH.

​There are many other beneficial terms for our community and for the existing EXCLUSIVE PGH. I believe that you Yazdi Desai and your esteemed committee members of the BPP do NOT endorse the views of Mr. Zaiwala (the lawyer opposing this) and we the donors wish to put on record our sincere thanks, ​once again ​ for having your blessings in ​our ​going ahead and completing the project for the benefit of our Parsee Community.

Finally, Pervin and my aim in making this “pledge” to construct the New Hospital Building is only to benefit the less fortunate and indigent member of our Zoroastrian ​ Parsee Community. We do not seek or ask for any “recognition” or “glory’. We leave the matter in your capable hands. ​Our pledge of US$ 22.5 Million is absolutely restricted to this project i.e. to build the New Hospital and we are NOT interested in any other alternative project or counter proposal.​
Finally Mr. Desai, may I request you to give my response (this email to you) as wide a circulation as possible within your committee members, members of the Parsee community, Parsee press and Government officials that I understand were contacted by Mr. K. R. Zaiwala.

God willing the project will have your and the community’s support; if NOT, we tried our best, and can only apologise that we failed.

• Pervin and Jal Shroff

 

Thank You Parsi Times!

Thank you for the Mela-vdo announcement in your this week’s issue. I would also like to thank you for the weekly article from Dasturji Dhalla’s book. What beautiful prose, and fluency in writing about Zoroastrianism. He was a scholar par excellence! I also congratulate Varun Balsara for his superb and thought provoking essay on Religion and Spirituality as understood by youngsters today. He hit the nail on the head as regards what I’ve been grappling with for quite some time. Thank you! I know he will receive a lot of brickbats but his article is brutally honest and enlightening and it would do well for our so called ‘Orthodox Zoroastrians’ to read it carefully and seek answers from it as to how our youth today can be convinced to love, respect and follow our faith.

 Zarine Bahmani (zarine54@gmail.com)

 

Wonderful Eye-Opener – Why I Embraced Spirituality

This is in reference to the wonderful eye-opening Youth Speak article in your last PT issue – more so coming from one among our youth. We have been always taught to question and find out for ourselves, why brush things under the carpet? Rightly said, every thought and word creates powerful vibrations. How many feel the calm and peace and eventually find Him? That’s man’s eEternal Quest.

Yasmine Katrak (yasminelovejoy@gmail.com)