Maharashtra Govt slaps ₹10 Lakh fine on Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital over denial of emergency care
The case brought to light serious lapses in the enforcement of guidelines meant to protect patients in emergencies. As per a government resolution dated April 4, the hospital's refusal to provide immediate care breached Clause III of the charitable hospital norms, which mandate that no advance payment should be demanded in emergency cases and life-saving treatment must be provided without delay.
Further, investigations revealed that the hospital violated its obligations under Section 41AA of the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950, which requires charitable hospitals with annual expenses exceeding ₹5 lakh to earmark 2% of their billing towards an Indigent Patients' Fund (IPF). This fund is meant to ensure free or subsidised care for the economically weaker sections.
The inquiry committee's report, submitted to the Chief Minister's Office on Saturday, noted that Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital not only failed to meet these legal responsibilities but also contributed to a tragic and avoidable loss of life, exposing serious flaws in the system meant to safeguard underprivileged patients.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
31-07-2025
- NDTV
49 Rabies Cases In Delhi This Year, Over 65,000 Stray Dogs Sterilised In 6 Months
New Delhi: A total of 49 cases of rabies have been reported in the national capital, so far this year, while over 65,000 stray dogs have been sterilised and vaccinated over a six-month period, according to the MCD's official data. The rabies cases were recorded at the MVID Hospital between January and July of this year, while 35,198 animal bite incidents were reported across the capital from January to June, according to official data accessed by PTI. To address these issues, an equal number of anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) were administered during this period, an official told PTI. In a bid to control the stray dog population and prevent the spread of rabies, the MCD sterilised and immunised 65,031 stray dogs between January 25 and June 25 this year. In comparison, the civic body has projected that 97,994 dogs will be sterilised and vaccinated between April 2024 and December 2025. This follows previous years where 79,959 dogs were sterilised in 2023-2024, and 59,076 in 2022-2023, indicating a consistent increase in efforts. Officials noted that the civic body is focused on enhancing the efficiency and capacity of the sterilisation network amid rising public concerns over stray dog attacks in various parts of the city. To further tackle the issue, the MCD's standing committee formed a subcommittee earlier this month to focus exclusively on stray dog management. The subcommittee held its first meeting on Thursday, during which it decided to re-engage the NGOs currently involved in the sterilisation programme and enlist more capable organisations. An intensive month-long sterilisation drive is also being planned, officials said. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also chaired a separate meeting on the issue of stray animals and directed officials to treat the matter not merely as an administrative task but as a social responsibility. She stressed the need for a comprehensive and humane approach to address the crisis. "The chief minister instructed that animal lovers, experts, and social organisations be consulted, and their suggestions incorporated into the policy-making process," stated a post from the Chief Minister's Office on X. These latest measures come amid growing public fear over frequent dog bite incidents in the capital. Currently, 20 sterilisation centres are operational in Delhi, managed by registered NGOs. These centres carry out surgical sterilisation and administer anti-rabies vaccinations before releasing the animals back to their original locations, according to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) guidelines.
Time of India
27-07-2025
- Time of India
Lung disease: Man given one year to live after surprise diagnosis; what you need to know about IPF
A deadly lung disease was discovered in a 68-year-old man during a routine check-up. What seemed like a harmless appointment quickly turned into something far more serious—one that would eventually land him in the hospital. Christopher Kennedy, 68, went in for a simple X-ray before routine surgery, expecting it to be a quick visit. Instead, doctors spotted scarring on his lungs. Kennedy, a healthy, active retired Air Force tech who trained therapy dogs, had no clue anything was wrong. But after more tests, he got hit with a tough diagnosis: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) — a lung disease with no clear cause that slowly robs you of breath, CBS News reported. At first, he thought he could fight it off. But by 2024, his doctors gave him a heartbreaking prognosis: less than a year to live. Later he underwent a lung transplant and his lung capacity is currently 98%. "He is back to spending time with his wife, children and grandkids. He is able to exercise at home and was recently able to take his dog for a walk without losing his breath. He's almost done training the canine, a Bernese Mountain dog named Fini, to be a hospital therapy dog," the report says. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: The lung disease you've probably never heard of—but should Let's talk about your lungs—not in a scary way, but in a 'this-is-good-to-know' way. There's a sneaky disease out there called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF for short. It sounds like a mouthful, and honestly, it kind of is. But here's the deal: this condition is serious, underdiagnosed, and affects thousands of people, especially older adults. And the kicker? We still don't really know what causes it. So, what exactly is IPF? At its core, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a disease that messes with your lungs by causing scar tissue to build up inside them. Think of it like slowly wrapping your lungs in shrink-wrap. The more scar tissue, the harder it is to breathe. Over time, people with IPF find themselves gasping for air just doing simple things like walking to the kitchen or climbing a few stairs. The word 'idiopathic' basically means 'we don't know why it happens,' which is a frustrating part of this disease. Unlike lung issues caused by smoking, pollution, or working in dusty environments, IPF just shows up uninvited. No clear reason, no obvious trigger. One day your lungs are fine, and the next, they start stiffening up like they're made of cardboard. What are the signs something's wrong? Here's where things get tricky. The symptoms of IPF are super vague—things like a dry cough that won't quit or being out of breath more than usual. It's easy to write these off as just getting older, being out of shape, or dealing with allergies. That's why so many people get diagnosed late, sometimes when the disease has already taken a major toll. According to the American Lung Association , IPF can sneak up on people because its symptoms often mimic other, more common lung issues. Most folks start noticing signs somewhere between age 50 and 70, but by then, it's easy to chalk things up to aging or being 'a little out of shape.' That's why it's crucial to speak up if you feel something's off—especially if you're out of breath from basic activities, dealing with a nagging dry cough, or feeling unusually tired. Even symptoms like unintended weight loss, achy joints, or weird changes in your fingertips (called 'clubbing') could be clues. If you've got any family history of lung disease or have worked around chemicals or pollutants, don't keep it to yourself—tell your doctor. And don't be afraid to push for answers if your symptoms aren't improving. PF has many causes, and getting the right diagnosis means seeing a specialist who knows what to look for. Early action can help manage symptoms and give you more control over your health. Why IPF deserves more attention right now Also, let's face it—breathing is kind of a big deal. You don't want to take it for granted. If you or someone you love is dealing with a mysterious cough or unexplained shortness of breath, it's worth getting it checked out. The sooner IPF is caught, the more options you have.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Time of India
Charitable hospitals must comply with govt health scheme GR: Minister
1 2 3 Caption: Health minister Prakash Abitkar with Ayushman Bharat Mission Maharashtra president Om Prakash Shete and MLA Kailash Patil Pune: State health minister Prakash Abitkar on Wednesday said trust-run charitable hospitals must comply with the govt resolution on their mandatory empanelment under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY). He said the govt had taken multiple steps recently to ensure that the issues raised by the hospitals were addressed, but the opposition from facilities continued. "When benefits provided by the govt under various schemes applicable to trust-run charitable hospitals are happily accepted, it is their duty to provide treatment to poor patients under various govt-run schemes," he said in the meeting with representatives from the trust-run hospitals at Yashada. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Visibly upset over hospitals sending clerical staffers as representatives, Abitkar said, "I expected decision-makers from the respective hospitals to attend this meeting; but they sent clerical staff. This is not done. The message cannot be delivered effectively by the lower-rung staff to the administration." The health minister said, "We are revising the treatment package rates, and hospitals will benefit from this as well. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo There was no revision in rates since 2013. So, there were some objections. We have now addressed these. The intention of the govt behind such a GR is simply to provide affordable treatment to patients. Charitable hospitals gain benefits, be it land at nominal rates or benefits under taxes, because they come under the trusts act. Otherwise, they should have started private hospitals." Close to 50 trust-run hospitals come under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950. According to it, these hospitals are expected to set aside 2% of their profits from income for the Indigent Patients Fund (IPF) and 10% of the beds for the poor. In exchange, the hospitals gain tax benefits under 80G and seek donations as a charity institute. A total of 11 hospitals from Pune, under the Association of Hospitals (AOH), filed a writ petition in Bombay high court earlier this month. Advocate Manjusha Kulkarni, secretary and legal advisor of AOH, said, "AOH has 11 trust-run hospitals as its members. We filed the writ petition because the govt cannot mandate the hospitals to be empanelled under the MJPJAY or the PMJAY. These are voluntary schemes. The schedule of charges under these schemes is pathetically low. With such charges, we would not be able to cope with the technology and provide the kind of services we do." When asked if the govt would take any strict action against the hospitals refusing to get empanelled under the MPJAY, Abitkar said, "As a govt authority, we have put forth our stand on the issue. We will hear what the hospitals have to say now. The current GR and the law are in line with previous court orders. If they still have any objections, we will address those. Our stand is very clear, and so we are not worried about the writ petition. " Aannasaheb Chavan, chief executive officer, MJPJAY, said, "The MJPJAY ensures Rs5 lakh insurance per family annually, and an additional Rs5 lakh coverage is provided to citizens above 70 years. We have decentralised the registration process by empowering district collectors to empanel hospitals. We have about 2,180 hospitals empanelled with us right now. We aim to increase this to 4,200 hospitals in the next two months. The packages have been revised to include 1,356 treatments, which will double in a few months. The govt is positive about revising the cap on various treatment packages as well. The disbursal of payments will also be smoothened.
