In breather for Delhi hospitals, licenses need not be renewed till March 2021

With registrations not being renewed since March this year, without the relaxation several of the over 1,000 hospitals and nursing homes in the city would have been affected.

Nursing homes in Delhi will not need to renew their licenses till March next year, with the Delhi government relaxing the nursing homes rules in the city. “In view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic in Delhi, Rule 7(3) of the Delhi Nursing Homes Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2011 has been temporarily relaxed till 31.03.2021,” the order by Director General of Health Services Dr Nutan Mundeja said.

Earlier this month, the DMA had asked the state government to look into the matter of a majority of nursing homes — many treating Covid-19 patients — operating with expired licenses. (REUTERS PHOTO.)

The rule states that applications of hospitals and nursing homes that fail to file an application for renewal of registration within six months of the expiry of the previous licence will not be accepted and their names would be removed from the register. Nursing homes and hospitals cannot operate in Delhi without registration with the nursing home cell.

With registrations not being renewed since March this year, without the relaxation several of the over 1,000 hospitals and nursing homes in the city would have been affected. “We had earlier given a representation to the government to relax the rules and had received assurance. The government order has now been issued. This will be a relief for many hospitals,” said Dr Arun Gupta, chairman of the Covid Management Committee of the Delhi Medical Association.

This will also give time for the hospitals to comply with the new fire safety norms.