97 Private Nursing Homes Slapped notices for Norms Violations

Pune: Altogether 97 private nursing homes and hospitals in the city have been slapped with show-cause notices by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for alleged violations of the Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act 1949 and Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2021.

Apart from this, the Council also issued notices to three hospitals in Undri, NDA Road, and Karve Road asking them to stop operations that were found operating sans nursing home licenses, officials informed HT. Reportedly, the Council identified all these hospitals during a special drive that started on January 10.

The violations that were found at these hospitals include facilities operating sans fire NOC, no complaint book for patients and nursing staff appointments not as per the norms of the Nursing Home Act.

Besides, there were other violations regarding the degrees of the treating doctors, treatment tariff, patients' charter of rights, details of the grievance redressal cell and not displaying the contact number etc.

Also Read: Violation of Nursing Home Act: PMC issues Show Cause notice to 7 hospitals

Commenting on the matter, Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer of PMC told Hindustan Times, "These hospitals have been given one month to complete the compliance. After the hospitals submit the compliance report, a reinspection of these hospitals will be done. In case of failure, stringent action will be taken against them."

"The practical problems of the hospital owners should be considered by PMC. However, we don’t have an issue if action is taken against hospitals operating sans registrations," said Dr Sanjay Patil, the National Secretary of the Hospital Board of India.

Meanwhile, Dr. Abhijit More, a health activist and a member of the Jan Aarogya Abhiyan said, "The nursing home registration is mandatory, and the facilities cannot be run without licences. PMC should take stern action on people who are operating nursing homes sans license."

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that last month, the PMC Health Department had issued show-cause notices to seven private hospitals in the city for failing to meet the standard healthcare norms. These hospitals were given a 30-day deadline to comply with the norms to avoid having their licenses cancelled.

The hospitals, situated in areas such as Sinhagad Road, Narhe, Anand Nagar, Hingne Khurd, and others, were found to violate healthcare regulations specified in the Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act, 1949, and the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2021.

This action was a part of its month-long comprehensive inspection drive. PMC initiated a comprehensive inspection drive across private hospitals and nursing homes in the city following directives from the state public health department. The extensive drive aims to inspect a total of 850 nursing homes and hospitals across Pune to ensure compliance with the Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act of 1949 and the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration (Amendment) Rules, of 2021, during the month-long campaign.

Also Read: Show Cause notice issued to Pune Private Hospital for violation of Nursing Home Act