COVID-19 Pandemic: Show cause notice to 4 prominent Mumbai hospitals for flouting rules

The Maharashtra government has issued show cause notices four prominent private hospitals in Mumbai for not following rules with regard to COVID-19 treatment and warned of strict action against hospitals violating norms.

The notices to Bombay, Jaslok, Hinduja and Lilavati Hospitals were served after an inspection by Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday. 

The state government has instructed private hospitals to publicly display the number of available beds all times. The state government found out during inspections that private hospitals are returning patients despite the availability of beds. 

Besides, hospitals have also been instructed to take action against absent employees under the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA). 

As the number of cases continues to rise in Maharashtra, the state government has taken over 80% of beds in private hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Tope said he received complaints that some private players were not cooperating with patients. He visited these four medical facilities following the complaints and show cause notices were served subsequently. 

"Show cause notices have been issued to Bombay Hospital, Jaslok Hospital, Hinduja Hospital and Lilavati Hospital for non-compliance of the rules laid down by the state government for corona treatment," Tope tweeted along with pictures of his visit to the hospitals. 

"Yesterday I visited a few hospitals to see if govt rules are being implemented properly or not. I found that the implementation was not up to the mark at some places and show cause notices have been issued," Tope said in a statement.

Strict action will be taken against the hospitals which do not comply with the order issued by the state government, he said. 

According to an official statement, Tope paid visits to these hospitals on late Monday night after receiving complaints that some private hospitals were denying beds or citing no vacancy (of beds) to patients.

At the Bombay Hospital, a board displaying information about the availability of beds, as required under government norms, was not put up, the statement said. 

At some hospitals, rate cards as decided by the state government for treatment of patients were not displayed, it said.

Tope took stock of reserved beds at all the four hospitals, the statement said, adding that the minister instructed the hospitals to not deny beds to patients, to give timely treatment to them and cooperate with the government in tackling the crisis.