Pune’s 142 hospitals, clinics functioning without valid licence

While the health department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in February started a single-window system for renewal of hospital/nursing home licenses to streamline the process, 142 private hospitals and clinics in the city are yet to renew their licenses and are functioning without valid licenses, according to officials.

The PMC oversees 899 hospitals registered under the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration Act 1949 and Regulations 2021. In March this year, the licenses of as many as 410 private hospitals and clinics in the city were due for renewal.

The PMC launched the single-window system and a special drive for the renewal of licenses between February 22 and March 5. However, only 268 out of the 410 hospitals applied to the PMC for renewal of licenses. In June last year, the state government had conducted state-wide workshops of private doctors for effective implementation of nursing home rules.

Dr Bhagwan Pawar, health officer of the PMC, said that the single-window for renewal of hospital licenses was started to streamline the process and the licenses of these 268 hospitals were renewed after completion of compliances. “However, the remaining 142 hospitals and clinics are yet to approach us for renewal. This was found during the inspection carried out by ward medical officers,” he said.

Dr Pawar said that initially, a warning will be issued to these hospitals to apply for renewal within the deadline. “Renewals will be provided if they fulfil the required norms. After this, stern action will be taken against the errant hospitals,” he said.

Dr Sanjay Patil, chairman, Hospital Board of India, Pune Chapter, said, “We appreciate the step taken by the PMC for the nursing home license renewal but for renewal, documents like the fire NOC and MPCB consent are required which take time. The hospital takes time for the fire compliance and NOC, and the process of getting the MPCB compliance is tedious. Many hospitals are in the process of getting these compliances done and will apply for renewal once they get the consent and NOC,” he said. Hindustan Times