Prepare database over functioning of pvt hospitals, Home Secy writes to DGP

State Home Secretary has written to the Director General of Police asking him to prepare a database relating to the functioning of various private hospitals and nursing homes across the state.

The step was taken by the government after several nursing homes in the state had been accused of child trafficking while many others were blamed for wrong treatment. After being instructed by the Home Secretary, the DGP has issued an instruction to all the police stations in the state seeking detailed information about the private hospitals and nursing homes. All the police stations were asked to collect detailed information about the functioning of the private hospitals. It was learnt that the state government is trying to prepare a database of the all the private hospitals and nursing homes which can prove handy to the state Health department in case of any medical emergency.

After being instructed by the Home Secretary, the DGP has issued an instruction to all the police stations in the state seeking detailed information about the private hospitals and nursing homes. All the police stations were asked to collect detailed information about the functioning of the private hospitals. It was learnt that the state government is trying to prepare a database of the all the private hospitals and nursing homes which can prove handy to the state Health department in case of any medical emergency.

Information has been sought relating to the registration and license of the private hospitals about when theywere issued. All the police stations across the state have been asked to collect information if the private nursing homes have proper fire licenses. The district police administration will also collect information regarding the number of beds in these hospitals, how many employees have been working at these hospitals including the doctors and nurses, what are the clinical tests been conducted in the hospitals or if there was any medicine store in these private hospitals, especially those which are situated in the districts and what type of health services were available in the hospitals.

The main purpose of the new move is to fix accountability of these private hospitals. The decision was also taken to check the incidents of child trafficking. In some recent incidents, many of the private nursing homes in the state, including some in the city, have been accused of child trafficking. After gathering the details about the functioning of the private hospitals, the different police stations will submit a report to the DGP who in turn will send the report to the state Home Secretary. Once the processes are done, the state government will have detailed information about all the private hospitals. The state Health department will be able to know about the available health infrastructure at the private hospitals, more particularly, in those situated at far-off districts.

It may be mentioned that the state government has taken a series of new initiatives to fix the accountability of the private hospitals. The state government has already passed the West Bengal Clinical Establishments (registration, regulation and transparency) Bill, 2017 so that the private hospitals do not charge the patient arbitrarily and also to check the incidents of medical negligence.