Pune: Acting on the directives issued by Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Health Department has conducted an extensive inspection drive covering 714 private hospitals in the city.

As a result of the inspections, notices have been issued to 76 hospitals found violating regulatory norms under the Nursing Home Act. These hospitals have been instructed to rectify their shortcomings within a stipulated period.

The drive was initiated following a review meeting held in Pune last month, where Health Minister Prakash Abitkar assessed the compliance of private hospitals in the presence of Health Director Dr. Nitin Ambadekar and senior health officials. Shortly after the meeting, the health administration launched a citywide inspection campaign to ensure adherence to healthcare regulations.

In an official communication, Health Director Dr. Ambadekar directed all district surgeons, district health officers, and municipal health chiefs across Maharashtra to enforce specific compliance measures in private hospitals.

These measures include:

• Ensuring that hospitals prominently display their rate charts at the entrance.

• Proper disposal and management of biomedical waste.

• Obtaining and maintaining valid fire safety clearances.

• Dr. Ambadekar instructed authorities to submit a comprehensive compliance report within a month.

Speaking about the ongoing inspections, Assistant Health Officer Dr. Suryakant Devkar stated that Pune has a total of 890 private hospitals, and the inspections are being conducted systematically.

Several hospitals were found in violation of key regulations, including failure to display rate charts, lack of a designated complaint redressal contact number, and improper biomedical waste management. Notices have been issued to 76 hospitals, and they have been given a month to implement corrective measures.

PMC has emphasized that failure to comply within the given timeframe could result in further action, including penalties or potential legal proceedings against the non-compliant hospitals.