Closure cloud on 3 nursing homes

TT, July 13: The seniormost district health official has warned that three of Jalpaiguri town’s biggest nursing homes could face closure as they do not have trade and clinical permits.

The three nursing homes — which have over 300 beds in total — that the jalpaiguri chief medical officer of health has mentioned in a letter to the district administration are Marina Medical Pvt Ltd, Eve Land Nursing Home and Touch Nursing Home.

CMOH Jagannath Sarkar wrote to additional district magistrate (development) of Jalpaiguri on July 10.

Sarkar said today that “all three nursing homes are operating illegally in blatant violation of the Clinical Establishment Act, 2010”.

He said that “despite repeated reminders to the authorities of the three hospitals, they failed to create proper infrastructure for fire safety and develop proper buildings adhering to all norms. None of the nursing homes has a trade licence issued by the Jalpaiguri municipality. Trade licence is one of the basic documents to run an establishment.”

He said the nursing homes also “don’t have clinical licences issued by us either and it’s another violation.”

The health officer said he had written to the administration, saying proper steps should be taken against the nursing homes.

“If the nursing homes continue to function in such a manner, they should be closed down,” Sarkar said.

A representative of Touch Nursing Home said the building had been renovated and appropriate fire safety equipment had been installed at the facility. “We have deposited the fee for the clinical licence but didn’t get it as a copy of the trade licence is required to be submitted to the health officials.”

The representative said the civic body hadn’t issued the trade licence “for reasons unknown to them”.

The two nursing homes refused comment.

Mohan Bose, the Jalpaiguri municipality chairman, said the three nursing homes had shortcomings, particularly with regard to fire safety and the building design. “Unless these shortcomings are taken care of, we will not issue trade licences to them,” he said.