GUWAHATI: The Assam Cabinet has approved the Draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Regulatory Guidelines aimed at curbing coercive practices by private nursing homes and hospitals in the state.
The decision, which comes amid growing public concern over unethical medical billing practices, lays out a clear framework to ensure that no hospital can delay or deny the release of a deceased patient’s body over pending payments.
Key provisions of the SOP include mandatory release within 2 hours: hospitals are now legally bound to hand over dead bodies within two hours of death certification, irrespective of any pending bills. Any delay beyond this timeframe may attract penal action, and such incidents must be reported to the police and district health authority within 4 hours.
The Helpline for Complaints includes a 24/7 toll-free helpline (104) that has been activated to enable families to report any coercive actions by hospitals. On receiving a complaint, the designated authority must immediately visit the site, ensure the body is released (if held unlawfully), and initiate legal proceedings against the institution.
However, hospitals found guilty of such misconduct will face licence suspension for 3–6 months, a penalty of up to ₹25 lakh, blacklisting, and even permanent deregistration for repeat violations. Health officials have urged all private hospitals and nursing homes in the state to strictly adhere to the new SOP, warning that violations will be dealt with zero tolerance.
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