Pune: District Collector Warns Of Action Against Charitable Hospitals For Not Providing Treatment Under IPF Scheme
In response to complaints against charitable hospitals for their failure to provide treatment under the Indigent Patient Scheme (IPF), District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh convened a meeting on Monday. The meeting saw the participation of representatives from charitable hospitals, Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), and concerned officials. The IPF scheme is designed to offer improved healthcare to economically disadvantaged patients, allowing hospitals to extend free or discounted treatment.
At the district level, a dedicated committee oversees the allocation of beds and healthcare services for economically disadvantaged patients at charitable hospitals, with the district collector serving as the committee’s chairperson. In light of multiple complaints, a comprehensive review of the situation was conducted, with 39 out of the district’s 58 charitable hospitals participating in the meeting.
In accordance with a High Court order, charitable hospitals are mandated to allocate 2% of their revenue towards the treatment of economically disadvantaged patients, providing them with free or reduced-cost medical care under the IPF Scheme. However, it was brought to light that many of these hospitals had not adhered to these directives and were not extending treatment to impoverished patients under the scheme. The situation escalated further after a news report on the issue, prompting local politicians to seek answers from authorities. Additionally, the youth wing of the BJP organized a protest concerning this matter at a prominent city hospital.
The district collector has now issued a stern warning to these hospitals, cautioning them of stringent actions should they continue to neglect patients under this vital scheme. Furthermore, the hospitals have received instructions to maintain a record of fund utilization for the IPF Scheme and submit it to the committee on a monthly basis. The district collector has also suggested the possibility of conducting monthly committee meetings to consistently review progress on this matter.
