Maha to relax norms for nursing homes, hospitals with up to 10 beds
Abitkar further said that the issue was discussed with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and private doctors
vicky.pathare@hindustantimes.com
The state government will relax norms for daycare centres, nursing homes and hospitals with up to 10 beds registered under the Mumbai Nursing Homes Registration Rules 1949 as the Maharashtra Nursing Homes Registration (Amendment) Rules 2021 has made it difficult for small- and medium-sized hospitals to complete compliance and sustain, officials said.
Health minister Prakash Abitkar on Monday told Hindustan Times: “We have decided to give relaxation to daycare centres and nursing homes with up to 10 beds. This will be presented in the assembly session for approval and later, the amendments in the Nursing Homes Act will be carried out. The intention of the government is that there should be no financial exploitation of patients by hospitals. The government should monitor this closely.”
Abitkar further said that the issue was discussed with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and private doctors. “We want the hospitals to be monitored but there should be no unnecessary harassment of private hospitals. The patients should get the service and there should be no trouble to the hospitals,” he said.
According to officials, a notification was issued on January 14, 2021 regarding amendments to the Mumbai Nursing Homes Registration Rules 1949. The IMA, since day one of the amendments, has been demanding changes in the rules. Earlier this month, Abitkar engaged in a dialogue with private doctors and hospital representatives. He emphasised that private medical practitioners play a crucial role in public health initiatives, and assured the government’s support in resolving their challenges. During the meeting, the private hospital representatives highlighted issues related to the MJPJAY, biomedical waste management, Bombay Nursing Homes Registration Act, and revised Maharashtra Nursing Homes Rules.
As per IMA doctors, after amendments to the Nursing Homes Act, the norms for nursing homes with 10 beds –requirement of a medical officer-on-duty, two qualified midwives, and one qualified nurse in three shifts – were not feasible. Additionally, the infrastructure changes to have a 140 square foot waiting room and an examination room of the same size were impractical for older hospitals and nursing homes. Furthermore, the IMA demanded relaxation of the rules mandating a six-foot distance between the beds, placement of a nursing station after every five beds, and annual fees.
Dr Sanjay Patil, national secretary, Hospital Board of India, appreciated the decision taken by Abitkar. “We have been requesting the government to give relaxation to private hospitals after the Nursing Homes Act was amended. Small- and medium- hospitals are struggling to survive and many of them are closing down. Also, several hospitals are facing harassment when it comes to following the nursing home rules, especially in rural areas. It would be appreciated if the government considers giving relaxation to hospitals with up to 30 beds in rural areas,” Dr Patil said.
The state has over 20,000 nursing homes and hospitals registered under the rules. In Pune itself, there are as many as 850 hospitals registered under the Maharashtra Nursing Homes Registration Act 1949 and Regulations 2021. Out of these, over 400 hospitals are small- and medium-sized. But in the past three years (from April 2022 to December 2024), 70 small- and medium-sized private hospitals have been closed down, said Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).