Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Maharashtra Sets Hospital Service Standards Across Public Health System
Maharashtra has created a list of services that people should expect at government hospitals.
The list is different for smaller rural hospitals and larger district or general hospitals.
It includes doctors, nurses, tests, medicines and equipment.
Larger hospitals are expected to offer more tests and advanced machines such as CT scans and MRI.
Hospitals must also provide laboratories, maternity care, immunisation and postnatal services.
Some hospitals will have blood banks or blood storage units.
Dialysis services will be added in stages.
Hospitals must keep at least one ambulance and help people with certificates, registrations and complaints.
The Health Commissioner will be responsible for putting these rules into practice.
Maharashtra has prescribed service standards for government hospitals based on hospital type and bed capacity.
The Health Commissioner will oversee implementation of staffing, diagnostic, medicine and facility requirements.
Standards cover specialist doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, radiology staff and other professionals.
Hospitals are expected to provide specified laboratories, imaging, emergency-support, maternity and patient-service facilities.
Diagnostic and medicine requirements differ by hospital level, with dialysis and some advanced services introduced in phases.
- Who
- The Maharashtra state government, hospital authorities and the Commissioner of Health Services.
- What
- The government has established service standards for doctors, staff, tests, medicines, equipment and patient services at public hospitals.
- When
- The standards will apply following the government resolution; no specific date is stated.
- Where
- Government hospitals across Maharashtra, including rural, sub-district, district, general, women’s, psychiatric, TB and referral hospitals.
- Why
- To clarify the services patients can expect and improve the delivery of care in the public health system.
- Implementation authority
- The Commissioner of Health Services is responsible for implementing the standards.
- Hospital levels covered
- The framework covers 30-bed rural hospitals, 50- to 100-bed sub-district hospitals, 200-bed general hospitals, district hospitals and women’s hospitals.
- Diagnostic standards
- The Indian Public Health Standards 2022 framework specifies 74 diagnostic services for rural hospitals, 111 for sub-district hospitals and 134 for district, general and women’s hospitals.
- Imaging facilities
- X-ray and ultrasonography are expected at all hospitals; CT scans are prescribed for 100-bed sub-district hospitals and larger facilities, while MRI is expected at district hospitals.
- Medicine requirements
- The framework lists 403 essential medicines for sub-district hospitals, 438 for district hospitals and 426 for referral service hospitals.
- Required patient services
- Hospitals are expected to provide at least one ambulance, grievance facilities, disability and medical fitness certificates, birth and death registration, dietary services and Janani Suraksha Yojana benefits.
- Current versus prescribed tests
- The government says existing diagnostic offerings differ from the IPHS targets, including 76 test types at rural hospitals, 110 at 100-bed sub-district hospitals and 122 at district hospitals.