Pune: The civic body’s health department has issued show-cause notices to 15 private hospitals for allegedly flouting norms under the Bombay Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1949 (BNHR), primarily for not prominently displaying rate charts and patients’ rights boards on their premises.“We have been conducting periodic inspections every six months during which our ward offices and zonal offices check hospitals for compliance under all the necessary laws. Our officers, during such an inspection, found that at least 15 hospitals were flouting norms. We, therefore, have issued notices. These hospitals have to rectify compliance gaps within a stipulated period. If they fail to do so, we would take action as mandated by the law,” Dr Suryakant Devkara, assistant health officer of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), told TOI.He added that the notices have been issued to small, medium and large hospitals. Under Section 7 of the BMHR Act, every registered nursing home must exhibit in a conspicuous place a schedule of charges and other prescribed information.Non-compliance of the same can attract suspension or cancellation of registration and fines ranging from a few thousand rupees up to several lakh rupees, depending on the severity and duration of violations, as per the law.Officials said the notices, issued between Jan and June following complaints from citizens and activists, have been part of a broader crackdown on non-compliance. The civic teams first send multiple reminders and give hospitals time to plug gaps before recommending fines or even suspension of registration under the Act.Civic officials added that repeat or willful violations may invite stricter measures, including cancellation of licenses, as part of an ongoing citywide drive to improve transparency and patient safety in private healthcare facilities. Dr Sanjay Patil, chairperson, Hospital Board of India (HBI), Pune chapter, told TOI, “Our members have always complied with the rules. We also repeatedly asked hospitals to do so. Often, members fulfil the compliance as soon as the lacunae were pointed out. If any hospital, despite repeated notices, failed to do so, we support the administration in their action.”
