The health department in Madhya Pradesh has cancelled the licenses of around 60 private hospitals as irregularities and violations were noticed under the MP Nursing Homes and Clinical Establishment Act 1973 and Rules 1997.

Show-cause notices have been sent to 301 hospitals, which have been directed to improve their facilities and appoint at least three doctors each with MBBS degrees. After more than 4,000 people died during the second wave of COVID, the health department conducted an inspection at 692 hospitals and probed the complaints of private hospitals charging extra money and not providing any facilities, including oxygen and medicines.

The health department’s internal investigation revealed that several patients died due to delay in treatment and poor treatment at private hospitals. Serious irregularities were found at 60 hospitals, including 24 in Gwalior and 10 in Bhopal, revealed Vishwas Sarang, medical education department minister.

In several hospitals, there were no resident doctors. Most of them had recruited homoeopaths and Ayush doctors while allopathic doctors were just visiting doctors. Many hospitals didn’t have ICUs and operation theatres, oxygen equipped beds, ventilators and other basic facilities.

These hospitals will be required to apply for licenses again after they improve the facilities. Only well-equipped hospitals will be declared as COVID-dedicated facilities in August. Health experts and activists are asking for criminal action against the administrations of these disqualified hospitals.

Seema Kurup, a Bhopal-based activist, said that they were running a helpline during the second wave to help people find suitable hospitals, oxygen and medicines and received several complaints against private hospitals for not having qualified doctors and other facilities.

Health activist SR Azad stated that these people should be booked under Section 304 (death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code.

The Opposition condemned the state government for giving licenses to substandard hospitals. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that MP government took action against such hospitals to improve health facilities in the state for the first time and it should be appreciated.

Source: Hindustan Times