‘No denial' policy to be made compulsory for private hospitals to ensure patients get emergency care: Ajit Pawar

Indian Express

25-04-2025

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced on Friday that a 'no denial' policy will be made compulsory at private hospitals to ensure that patients are not refused emergency care. A health response tracker will be introduced to monitor how patients are treated, and a dedicated helpline for pregnant women and a rapid response team are also in the pipeline, he added.
Pawar made the announcements after the groundbreaking ceremony for a new 10-storey building of the family welfare bureau and training centre in Pune. He also dedicated 43 new dispensaries, called 'Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Aapla Dawakhana', to the public. Most of the dispensaries are located across slum areas in the city.
Pawar also spoke about the death of Tanisha Bhise, a pregnant woman allegedly denied treatment at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. Bhise's family and BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe have alleged that the hospital authorities refused to admit her due to nonpayment of an advance deposit of Rs 10 lakh. Bhise delivered twins at Surya Hospital in Wakad on March 29 and died at Manipal Hospital, Baner, two days later.
'The government has taken this incident very seriously, and reports of high-powered committees set up to investigate the matter have come in. Strict action will be taken in this case. The government is taking steps to strengthen regulations that govern private hospitals so that no patient in need of medical services is turned away,' he said.
The government provides land and floor space index (FSI) to charitable trust hospitals, and beds have to be reserved for the poor as per the regulations, Pawar said, adding that failure to do so will not be tolerated.
There is also a need to provide timely care, and failing to do so reflects serious systemic flaws, he further said, adding that strict action will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.
'The state is committed to ensuring that healthcare remains a service, not a commercial business,' he emphasised, adding that no patient seeking treatment should be turned away.
On the sidelines of the event, state Health Minister Prakash Abitkar told reporters that there was medical negligence in the case and the hospital had been fined Rs 10 lakh. A policy has also been chalked out, and it will benefit citizens, he added.
Huge push for infra development
Keeping in mind Pune's infrastructure needs and to ensure transparency and accessible health care, Pawar announced that administrative approvals were in place for various important buildings.
The new family welfare bureau and training centre will include departments of health, family welfare, TB, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme department, video conferencing facilities, and training halls. Solar panels will be set up, and extensive arrangements will be made to ensure parking facilities.
Pawar announced various initiatives, including an ambitious project at Tathawade that will be modelled on the Mussorie administrative campus, a government officers' rest house, an Ahilya Bal Vikas Bhavan at Yerawada, a MahaUrja project, a Shikshan Bhavan, etc.
Pahalgam terror attack: 'Will leave no stone unturned'
Pawar extended his deepest condolences for the tragic loss of 26 lives in the Pahalgam terror attack. The entire country is united in grief and outrage, he said, and emphasised that such heinous acts must be met with the strictest consequences. 'We will leave no stone unturned to ensure those responsible face the harshest action,' he affirmed. He also urged the need for continued vigilance, stating that such terror attacks should never be allowed to occur again. Tourists and innocent civilians must always be protected, and the state is committed to upholding that responsibility, he added.