Authorities to visit mental hospitals across Maharashtra

Hospitals found to be non-compliant will be given a month to make necessary improvements

- Vicky Pathare

PUNE: The state health department on Saturday issued directives to conduct inspection of all hospitals registered under the Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act, 1949 and the Maharashtra Nursing Homes (Amendment) Rules, 2021 in the state, officials said.

The development takes place after public health minister Prakash Abitkar gave the orders at the meetings held in Mumbai on January 1 and Pune on January 3. The directions have been issued to all health officers of municipal corporations, district health officers and civil surgeons of districts.

Dr Nitin Ambadekar, director of health services, issued the orders, stating that district-level teams must immediately commence inspections of registered hospitals within their jurisdictions. "During inspections, the provisions stated in the Acts are followed by the hospitals should be checked," he said.

As per officials, the inspections aim to ensure compliance with provisions outlined in the Acts. "The team will check the treatment tariff displayed in prominent areas, availability of proper biomedical waste management facilities and valid fire NOC certification amongst others," reads the order, a copy of which is seen by HT.

Abitkar during his visit to Pune on Friday had expressed displeasure over the effective implementation of nursing home rules in the state.