Hospitals not following diktat to admit poor patients in Maharashtra: report

Mumbai: A committee set up by the Maharashtra government to review the performance of charitable hospitals has found that a court directive to treat the poor patients is not being followed.

The committee report says that on an average only 4.03 per cent of the earmarked beds are used for charity.

The Bombay Hospital here has 142 beds earmarked for charity, out of the total 701. It can treat 1,065 patients under the norms; but only 42 were admitted in April and May 2011, in June 2011 the number went down to 38.

The committee report says that on an average only 4.03 per cent of the earmarked beds are used for charity.

As per a Bombay High Court ruling, charitable hospitals need to reserve 10 per cent of the beds for free treatment of the poor, and another 10 per cent for treatment at concessional rates. Hospitals have also to set aside two per cent of their income for `Indigent Patient Fund (IPF)'.

But the big hospitals are not complying, the report says.

"There is a discrepancy in the IPF amount that is declared. Beds and IPF funds are not being fully utilised."

As per the committee's recommendation, the government is contemplating integrating the existing schemes with Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Arogya Yojana, Health Minister Suresh Shetty said recently.

"This will ensure that the implementation is monitored. Due to the health card provided under the scheme, government will have the entire data. When a card-holder gets admitted to the hospital, the central control room will get the information," he said.

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