CM cracks whip on errant hosps Says govt will keep a tab on private hospitals to see if they are treating poor patients

CM cracks whip on errant hosps

Says govt will keep a tab on private hospitals to see if they are treating poor patients

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has cracked the whip on private hospitals refusing treatment to the poor. The Bombay Public Trust Act makes it compulsory for these hospitals to reserve 10% of their total beds for poor patients free of cost. In turn, private hospitals get concessions in sales, octroi tax, custom duty and on lease rents. The electricity and water supply is given at concessional rate. But, hospitals have been flouting the rule. Taking a serious note of private charitable hospitals refusing to be a part of Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Arogya Yojana, Chavan took a review meeting on Thursday. He warned the private hospitals of withdrawing the facilities given to them if they refuse to treat poor patients as per the court directives and legal provisions. He ordered monitoring on a daily basis. Chavan was told that despite the legal binding, hospitals have not been following the rules of 10% reservation of beds for the poor and utilising 2% of the total revenue for treatment. It was also brought to the notice of the chief minister that the hospitals show false records to claim concessions. “The court order was misinterpreted by the hospitals who have been claiming that they have to utilise only 2% of their total revenue. But they are also required to reserve 10% of the total beds for the poor,” said Suresh Shetty, health minister. He said the monitoring of treatment by private hospitals on a daily basis has been ordered and officials from finance and health department will review it. It was decided to appoint officials at all private hospitals to ensure that the specified amount of patients are treated and the allocated amount utilised for their treatment. “In some cases, when the hospitals claimed that they had utilised 2% of their revenue, the charity commission office allowed them to discontinue treatment. However, the rule say that no hospital is allowed to stop treating the poor in any case,” an official said. Shetty said the decision to withdraw facilities given to hospitals will be taken after strict monitoring. g_surendra@dnaindia.net