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State govt amends nursing homes act, IMA opposes

The body has written to the CM, will send its final objections and corrections on Monday
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State govt amends nursing homes act, IMA opposes

The state unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the largest representative body of modern medicine practitioners in the country, and the Hospital Board of India (HBI), its associated wing that represents hospitals, have raised objections over the proposed amendments in the Bombay Nursing Homes Registration Act. The state government has decided to amend the act and the proposed draft will be sent to the Union ministry of health and family welfare for final approval. However, IMA doctors in the state have already written to the Chief Minister, objecting the amending and will send their final objections on Monday.

Expressing their disagreement, the IMA has, however, also written to the public health minister and director of health services, claiming the amendments are highly objectionable, practically improper and need immediate correction.

According to the new amended rules, the corpse of a person must be handed to the kin after completing necessary medical and legal formalities. Most importantly, under no circumstances should a body be held for non-payment of bill by hospital authorities. Also, no patient can be detained by a hospital for non-payment of bills. The draft even says that all nursing homes should attend to emergency patients on priority without considering the financial capability of the patient. The nursing home has the responsibility to arrange for blood in case a patient needs transfusion, it states. The draft also claims that every nursing home should have four qualified nurses per 10 beds.

In case of maternity homes, one qualified midwife should be there per 10 beds. One medical officer must be present in each shift. Nursing homes should have one oxygen cylinder for eight beds with one standby cylinder. Nursing homes with more than 30 beds should have independent entrance zones.

Dr Archana Patil, director of health services, Pune, said, “We are not following the nursing homes registration act what the Union health ministry has, and, therefore, a committee was appointed to draw a tailored draft for Maharashtra. Once it is approved by the senior officials from the state, we will send it for approval to the Union health ministry before implementing it. Therefore, we have made the new amendments.”

Dr Patil also said, “We have set up some standards that have to be followed and are expected to help the public at large.”

Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president elect, state IMA, said, “We are objecting the amendments and on Monday the detailed objections and suggestions will be sent to the government. The rules are unjust, and it will not be possible to apply them throughout the state. The arrangements for beds and nursing staff available in cities cannot be replicated in towns and villages. This act will threaten the survival of small and medium-level hospitals.”

Source: ET

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