A fire at Well Treat Multispeciality Hospital and Critical Care Centre, Wadi, had left four patients were charred to death on April 9 night in 2021
Nagpur: In a major step, the licence of Well Treat Multispeciality Hospital and Critical Care Centre, Wadi, has been cancelled by Nagpur District Civil Surgeon (CS) after four patients were charred to death in a fire in the hospital on the night of April 9, 2021, a report in local Times of India said. The hospital was working as usual on Tuesday, even though the order was passed six days ago, the report added.
According to the report, the Civil Surgeon in order dated November 9 directed Dr Rahul Thawre of the hospital to return the registration certificate immediately. “Flaws raised in application seeking renewal of registration certificate have not been rectified, so it is pending for a long time. Application for renewal has to be submitted in January of that year in which the time period is going to end. Also, the hospital lacks fire prevention systems and electricity audit reports, which are required as per the Maharashtra Nursing Homes Act-1949. Therefore, the registration certificate has been cancelled,” the order said. The decision to cancel the registration certificate as per legal opinion obtained on November 7.
Notably, the Well Treat Multispeciality Hospital and Critical Care Centre runs from a commercial complex — Pooja Chambers’ second, third and fourth floor — from 2015 onwards. As per notice served by Wadi Municipal Council earlier, the building also lacks building plan sanction, NOC from Fire Department, and other mandatory permissions and systems.
The validity of the license to run the hospital lapsed on March 31 last year. M/s Sanidhya Health Care, which runs the hospital, had submitted an application with the Civil Surgeon to renew the license on March 27. Citing lack of NOC from Chief Officer of Wadi Municipal Council and other documents, the CS had not renewed the license till date.
The fire incident happened in the hospital on April 9 last year, and resulted in the death of four patients.
Dr Thawre said, “We have challenged the order of the Civil Surgeon in Mantralaya and hearing is on November 17. Wadi Municipal Council has also served a notice and asked us to shut the hospital by November 18. Therefore, we are allowed to run the hospital till November 18. Order of CS is limited to only the indoor patients department and not the outdoor patients department. We will comply with whatever orders come from the government,” the report said.