Maharashtra to launch inspection of charitable trust hospitals over compliance
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has directed all charitable trust hospitals across the state to install public dashboards displaying details of free treatment services and beds reserved for poor patients within the next month.
The decision comes after concerns were raised in the legislative council that several hospitals, despite receiving government benefits such as land, tax concessions and additional development incentives, were not providing the mandatory free treatment facilities to economically weaker patients.
Replying to a question in the legislative council, Minister Shambhuraj Desai, who belongs to the Shiv Sena, said a special inspection drive will be conducted through district-level committees to verify compliance with requirements, such as display dashboards, implementation of government health schemes, and other mandatory conditions, reports PTI.
During these inspections, officials will check whether hospitals have displayed the required dashboards, reserved beds for economically weaker patients, implemented government health schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), and fulfilled other obligations applicable to charitable hospitals. The government has also said it will examine complaints of hospitals charging patients more than permitted.
Also Read:Indore CARE Hospital served notice after inspection flags alleged violations
The issue was discussed in the Legislative Council after legislators alleged that some hospitals were not honouring the conditions attached to the concessions they had received from the government. The discussion also included Global Hospital in Parel, which has been accused of not providing beds to government-referred patients despite receiving additional Floor Space Index (FSI) benefits.
According to a report by The Times of India, Minister Shambhuraj Desai said action against erring hospitals has often been delayed because many obtained interim relief from courts. He added that the government is ready to appoint special government counsels wherever required to pursue such cases more effectively.
India Today reported that Minister of State Madhuri Misal said several charitable trust hospitals are yet to install the mandatory dashboards displaying information on free treatment. She said compliance will now be monitored through appointed 'Arogya Doots', while hospitals that continue to violate the rules even after inspections will face strict action.
