In a major development, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has proposed that any private healthcare establishment going ahead with an expansion plan will have to keep a block for Swastha Sathi card holders.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said over and again that the private hospitals cannot refuse patients with a Swasthya Sathi card and threatened stern action. The state health department had also urged the private hospitals but despite that several complaints regarding Swasthya Sathi card refusal have been received. The hospitals going ahead with expansion plans will have to follow the new rule of Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
A block will have been kept reserved for Swasthya Sathi card holders, failing which the expansion plan will not be allowed. The economically-challenged patients recommended by the mayor will be kept in the block. The proposal got clearance at the meeting of the mayor-in-council members chaired by mayor Firhad Hakim.
It will be placed before the KMC monthly meeting and with Trinamul Congress having a thumping majority will not face any problem in getting the nod of the councillors. Then the amendment in the building rules will be made and notices will be served on the owners of private hospitals.