BENGALURU: The Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), a state-level body, has sought exemption for medical establishments from obtaining trade licences from civic bodies and no-objection certificates from the Fire and Emergency Services among other demands. A memorandum to this effect was presented to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the inauguration of the Federation of Healthcare Associations-Karnataka at the first National Healthcare Summit here on Saturday.
Association president Dr Madan S Gaekwad, in the memorandum, said, “Currently, there is a need to obtain a trade licence from the Nagara Palika for running clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, and diagnostic centres. We wish that this be abolished because we are not in trading activities and are serving the community. Some of the states in our country do not require medical establishments to get trade licence. The industrial sector (MSME) in our state also does not require trade licence.”
He said, “In recent times, there has been an insistence on obtaining NoC from the fire department, from all bodies, for running our establishments, despite taking safety precautions. This requirement has put a lot of establishments in a difficult position as a majority of the small and medium organisations were started decades ago, even before the law came into force.”
“It is practically impossible to modify or make infrastructural changes to fulfill the requirements of the department. We will comply with the adjutant fire safety guidelines as laid down by the department. We request you to consider issuing clearance certificate that is accepted by all statutory bodies,” he said in the memorandum.
“We appeal to consider health care segment under MSMEs. This will help in setting up of health care establishments, facilitate its growth and help leverage marginal benefits that are offered to such establishments in other segments,” he said.