MP: 12 private nursing homes get show-cause notice for alleged irregularities

As per a recent Times of India report, 12 private nursing homes in the district of Indore have been served show-cause notices by the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) for irregularities and violations under the MP Nursing Homes and Clinical Establishment Act 1973 and Rules 1977.

Indore CMHO Dr BS Saitya stated that the facilities were issued the notices as they failed to meet the criteria including staff nurse, human resources, biomedical waste management, beds to doctor ratio, and others.

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Detailing the inspection, Dr BS Saitya told TOI, "Twelve private nursing homes in Indore district have been given one week to one month time to upgrade their existing capacities and facilities to meet the criteria under MP Nursing Homes and Clinical Establishment Act. If they fail to do so, process for cancellation of their registration will begin."

He further added that a hospital's registration was canceled in the district and the inspection of all the nursing homes would be completed in a month.

In the district of Khargone, after a recent inspection by the health department, show cause notices have also been served to all the private nursing homes for failing to fulfill the criteria under Madhya Pradesh Nursing Home and Clinical Establishment Act. The hospitals have been given a month's time to improve their facilities and meet the criteria established under Act.

CMHO Khargone, Dr DS Chouhan told TOI, "There are 39 private nursing homes registered with the health department in Khargone. All of them were issued show-cause notices on failing to fulfill criteria."

Publication of rate list, human resources, less number of doctors in respect to beds, and clearance for biomedical waste were some of the alleged issues they have to work on to fulfill the eligibility criteria by November 10. Upon failing to fulfill them, their registrations would be canceled according to Dr. Chouhan.

In the Indore division, out of 464 registered private nursing homes, around 57.3 percent were inspected out of which, 80 have been served with show-cause notices. The registration of four private hospitals has been canceled in the division, two of which are present in Dhar and one each in Indore and Barwani.

The inspections were carried out as per a statewide exercise of the health departments after the second wave of Covid brought this information to the front that many non-existing hospitals were registered with the health department.

Around half a dozen pathology centres have also been issued notices by the health department officials for not fulfilling the minimum eligibility criteria prescribed in medical diagnostic laboratories under the clinical establishment act, 2010 after an inspection was carried out by a team as part of an ongoing exercise. The issues with the pathology centres were bought to attention after a letter was written by the pathology association to the health officials two weeks ago.

A list of registered pathologies present in the district was submitted by the association, out of which 86 were working. The rules state that one pathologist could work in two labs. According to Indore CMHO, Dr. BS Saitya, a few pathology centres were asked to update their facilities via notices after the inspection. The problems were a lack of pathologists, technical staff, and other infrastructure issues.

Around 106 pathologies were registered in the district in the last three financial years including the present one, out of which around 46 were registered in the present financial year.

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