The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has suspended the operation of OPD and IPD of Palm Beach Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Vashi for 15 days for treating COVID-19 patients without permission.
The civic body took the action after the hospital administration failed to submit the reply to a show-cause notice issued to it for treating COVID-19 patients without the requisite permission. The civic body had issued a show-cause notice on September 19.
The hospital was found violating the Maharashtra COVID-19 Regulations 2020 under the Epidemic Act 1987 as it was admitting and treating COVID 19 patients without authorization.
The NMMC’s order stated that there is a reasonable scope of doubt that the hospital has been treating COVID-19 patients without following guidelines issued by the ICMR and Government of Maharashtra. As per the order, the IPD and OPD of the hospital have been suspended for 15 days after the discharge of the last COVID 19 patients.
“We have directed the hospital not to admit and treat any COVID 19 patient until further orders. Patients undergoing treatment at present in the hospital should be treated according to protocol and guidelines of ICMR as well as Government of Maharashtra,” said a senior civic official.
The NMMC administration had issued a show-cause notice to the hospital on September 19 and had asked it to reply within four days. However, the hospital despite receiving the notice copy did not respond following which the civic administration issued the order.
However, the civic administration asked the hospital that it may apply for permission for the treatment of COVID 19 patients in due course.
Despite the repeated attempts, the hospital administration was not available to comment. There is was no response to an SMS sent to the hospital’s administrative number.
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