Pune: PMC Cracks Down on 70 Hospitals for Fire Safety and Pricing Violations
Pune, 29th February 2024: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued notices to more than 70 private hospitals for non-compliance with fire safety regulations and failure to display transparent pricing for medical procedures. These notifications have been dispatched over the past 15 days, allowing a two-week window for the hospitals to respond adequately. Failure to provide a satisfactory response within this period may result in penalties under the relevant sections of the Bombay Nursing Act, with fines reaching up to Rs 10,000 for these violations.
The civic body’s scrutiny revealed that the private hospitals in question were either not adhering to fire department norms or neglecting to exhibit the rates for various medical services. Additionally, some hospitals were found to be lacking in displaying a toll-free number for lodging complaints. In response to these findings, the PMC has taken proactive measures by issuing notices to rectify the shortcomings.
In light of recent actions taken by the health department against private hospitals in Pune, the PMC has intensified its efforts by engaging in this regulatory action. A committee comprising two doctors, namely assistant health officer Dr. Manisha Naik and Dr. Suryakant Devkar, has been appointed to investigate the identified issues.
Dr. Naik explained, “The health department inspected approximately 400 to 450 private hospitals in the city, identifying issues such as outdated fire safety clearances, non-public display of tariffs, and absence of publicly displayed helpline numbers. Notices have been dispatched to the concerned hospitals, and if the issues are not rectified within two weeks, penal actions will be taken in accordance with the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration Act, 1949.”
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Bhagwan Pawar shared the inspection findings, stating, “Out of the hospitals we examined, 65 lacked updated fire safety clearances, 36 did not publicly display complaint numbers, and 28 did not disclose their tariff rates.
Dr. Sanjay Patil, Chairperson of the Hospital Board of India, IMA Pune Chapter, added, “While most hospitals comply with fire safety standards, the health department insists on an annual NOC, contrary to the government’s guidelines specifying a once-in-six-months requirement for Form B from a certified government-approved fire agency. Some hospitals might be unaware of patient rights or tariffs, but we are educating our members. However, displaying tariffs for every procedure is impractical, as it would clutter our walls.”
