IMA writes to Maharashtra’s health minister over ‘impractical’ changes to nursing home registration standards

Discontent is growing within the Indian Medical Association (IMA), with members throughout Maharashtra fiercely opposing the “impractical” modifications to the nursing home registration requirements, with a majority threatening to shut at least 90% of institutions. The IMA stated in a letter to Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on June 17 that the revisions are impracticable and hard to implement.

“There are roughly 25,000 small and major nursing homes in Maharashtra, and we have made multiple concerns since the notification was published last year in January,” Dr Mangesh Pate, honorary secretary of the Maharashtra IMA, told The Indian Express.

The fees for registration and renewal have been revised to Rs 5,000 for a Grade A nursing home (within municipal corporation limits), Rs 4,500 for a Grade B nursing home, and so on, according to the Maharashtra Nursing Homes Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2021, notification issued on January 14, 2021.

Nursing facilities with more than five beds will be taxed for each extra bed in the council, nagar panchayat, and village panchayat, or any other rural region. Apart from the staffing pattern, minimum standard criteria for the physical construction of a nursing home have been specified in the notification.

“The government must consider the concerns and opinions of service providers.” On January 18, last year, we requested a meeting with the relevant authorities, but it was postponed owing to the epidemic. A meeting was conducted on April 6, this year, and we have asked another meeting with Health Minister Rajesh Tope on this matter,” stated Dr Suhas Pingle, Maharashtra IMA president.

According to Dr Sanjay Patil, head of the Hospital Board of India – Pune Chapter, there are so many conditions in the amendment notification that it would not be shocking if 90% of the hospitals closed down.

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While problems such as fire safety, bio-medical waste disposal, structural auditing, and other processes are important, they are unfortunately becoming associated with the nursing home registration process.

“Despite our repeated demands and representations, no efforts have been made to protect all hospitals in Maharashtra.” “We at the Indian Medical Association Maharashtra state feel obligated to withdraw healthcare services from all hospitals in the state if the government does not respond to safeguard the hospitals in the state,” the letter said, begging the minister to rescind the notice immediately.

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