The State Health Assurance Society (SHAS), functioning under the Health and Family Welfare Department, has issued show-cause notices to 35 empanelled hospitals under the AB-PMJAY and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) for failing to submit renewed fire safety certificates after the expiry of their previous ones.
According to an official directive issued on June 8, all concerned hospitals have been instructed to submit valid and renewed fire safety certificates within five days. SHAS has clearly warned that failure to comply within the stipulated deadline may result in suspension of the hospitals from the government health insurance schemes.
Reports indicate that the affected hospitals are spread across multiple districts, including Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack (rural and urban), Khordha, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, and Sambalpur. The list reportedly includes several major healthcare institutions in Khordha such as AIIMS, Apollo Hospitals, Sparsh Hospitals, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, and Kar Vision.
The Chief Executive Officer of the State Health Assurance Committee has reiterated that maintaining a valid fire safety certificate is a mandatory compliance requirement under the terms of empanelment for AB-PMJAY and GJAY. Hospitals failing to comply within the given time frame will be liable for suspension from the schemes.
Authorities have stressed that fire safety compliance in hospitals is crucial for protecting patients, attendants, and healthcare workers, especially in view of several recent hospital fire incidents across the country that have raised serious safety concerns.
