The Maharashtra government is set to introduce a new law to regulate private pathology labs in the state. The state health department will present the bill during the upcoming monsoon session of the legislature. Health Minister Prakash Abitkar gave this assurance in the Legislative Council on Wednesday.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav) member Sunil Shinde raised the issue of private pathology labs charging exorbitant fees. Shinde claimed that out of 13,000 pathology labs in the state, 8,000 are operating illegally, while in Mumbai, 1,500 out of 5,000 labs are unlicensed.
In response, Abitkar stated that there is currently no law to regulate illegal pathology labs in the state. Therefore, the government has decided to introduce legislation to control private pathology labs. The health department has already submitted a proposal to the law and justice department. Once enacted, this law will establish standardized rates for various medical tests and ensure proper regulation of private pathology labs and their services.
On July 26, 2023, the then-Health Minister Tanaji Sawant had also announced plans to introduce a policy for registering pathology labs. He had proposed developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for pathology lab operations. However, no such SOP has been implemented yet.
Action Taken Against 39 Illegal Hospitals
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region has identified 39 hospitals operating without the necessary permissions from local authorities and the state government. In Kolhapur, two such nursing homes were found. Action has been taken against these hospitals as per government regulations.
In a written response, Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar stated that, as of February 2025, the government has inspected 23,014 hospitals across the state. Of these, 4,538 hospitals have been issued notices for violating regulations. Additionally, the fire department has taken action against 82 nursing homes for failing to install necessary fire safety equipment.
Furthermore, 39 illegal hospitals in Mumbai have faced legal action, with 17 nursing homes being fined up to Rs 10,000 through court orders.
