India, April 24 -- Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday ordered the formation of a state-level special inspection squad for monitoring the activities of charitable hospitals in the state. The squad will comprise officials from the public health department, the charity commissioner's office and the chief minister's medical help desk, and it will initiate stringent action against hospitals which violate rules or refuse free treatment to poor patients, said Fadnavis.

"Charitable hospitals should provide treatment to poor and needy patients free of cost. They must register information about available beds and Indigent Patient Fund (IPF) in the online system," said the chief minister.

The development comes close on the heels of the ...