Maharashtra Plans 12 Major Reforms to Improve Healthcare

The Maharashtra government is set to introduce its first state health strategy after facing criticism from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the Bombay High Court (HC). The High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the CAG's report. The new strategy proposes reforms to improve accountability, transparency, and quality across the healthcare system. 

The government plans to spend around INR 40,000 crore over the next 10 years to implement the strategy. The goal is to bring hospitals, doctors, medicines, medical devices, and other health services under stronger regulation to protect patients' interests.

The policy has been prepared by the public health department. It is based on the National Health Policy 2017 and the recommendations made in the Economic Advisory Council's 2023 report. 

The policy recommends following new measures:

• Introduction of standard treatment guidelines across healthcare facilities.
• Grading hospitals and other healthcare institutions based on their performance and quality of services. 
• Protection of patients' rights.
• Rights to privacy, informed consent before treatment and access to medical records.
• Option to seek a second medical opinion.
• Creation of an empowered medical tribunal for complaints related to medical negligence, the quality of treatment, and unfair practices.
• Stricter monitoring of clinical trials
• Special focus on the safety of participants and ethical standards during research.
• Regulating the availability and pricing of medicines through the pharmaceuticals department. 
• Setting up a separate regulatory authority for medical devices. 
• Encourage entrepreneurship in the manufacturing of medical devices.
• Strengthening the enforcement system under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

According to sources, the 2024 CAG report criticised Maharashtra for not adopting the Centre's Clinical Establishments Act and for not having a state health policy. At least 17 states have already adopted the Act, while several others have introduced their own healthcare laws. 

Maharashtra currently depends mainly on the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act and the Maharashtra Nursing Homes Registration Act to regulate healthcare institutions. 

The proposed monitoring system will cover all clinical establishments. It will also oversee professional and technical education, food safety, medical technology, medical products, research activities, and the implementation of other health-related laws. 

The proposal also seeks to expand the responsibilities of the state's six medical councils. These councils regulate modern medicine, Ayurveda, Unani, nursing, dentistry, and other healthcare professions. 

The health strategy has also set several long-term public health targets, like reducing infant mortality, improving life expectancy at birth, increasing public health spending to 2.5% of the Gross Domestic Product, and reducing catastrophic health expenditure by 25%.