Nursing homes shut down over rule 'flout' as Malda steps up healthcare checks

The Malda district administration has sealed eight private nursing homes in the past week for allegedly violating mandatory healthcare norms.

In addition, the district administration and the health department shut down a diagnostic centre and fined three nursing homes following inspections.

Sources said preliminary investigations had started against some other nursing homes following complaints. "If the allegations are substantiated, those establishments will also face closure," a source said.

Aniruddha Nandi, the additional district magistrate (health), said the administration would not tolerate any compromise with the quality of healthcare services promised to patients and their families.

"No deviation from the assured health services promised to patients and their family members will be tolerated. The drive will continue. Every nursing home must comply with the state government's prescribed rules, failing which strict action will be taken," Nandi said.

According to administrative sources, the eight sealed nursing homes are located in the Malda Sadar and Chanchal subdivisions.

The alleged violations include the absence of residential medical officers (RMOs), deployment of untrained nursing staff, poor sanitation, engagement of unqualified laboratory technicians and failure to maintain proper records of patient admissions, billing and discharge.

Some other private healthcare establishments were found lacking the required infrastructure. The closures followed joint inspections conducted by officials of the administration and the health department.

The district has more than 150 nursing homes and over 200 diagnostic centres.

The officials said many healthcare establishments were operating without adequate infrastructure and obtained licences through irregular means in previous years.