Nanavati Hospital trustees may face criminal charges for denying treatment to poor patients
Dige had earlier issued a show-cause notice to the hospital for violating the provisions of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950 (Picture Courtesy: Justdial)
Maharashtra Charity Commissioner Shivkumar Dige has ordered filing of a criminal case against the trustees of Mumbai’s Nanavati Hospital for allegedly denying treatment to underprivileged patients.
“Dige has asked the assistant charity commissioner to file a criminal case against the trustees as it violated a provision of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950,” an official in the Charity Commissioners office told PTI today.
“An inquiry revealed that the hospital does not provide treatment to poor patients as mandated under the law,” the official said.
The directive is part of a drive against charitable hospitals which are allegedly making insufficient arrangements for deprived patients despite enjoying a charitable trust status and availing government concessions.
According to the official, Dige had earlier issued a show-cause notice to the Vile Parle-based hospital for violating the provisions of the Act which aim at providing free or concessional-rate health services to poor patients.
A decoy poor patient who went to the hospital was denied treatment, he said. “What was surprising was that even the receptionist at the hospital wasn’t aware of the provision for treatment of poor patients,” he added.
Hospital authorities were not available for comment despite several attempts.
As per the rules, charitable hospitals have to reserve 20 percent of beds for poor patients.
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With agency inputs
