Bengaluru: The State government on Saturday issued a Government Order (GO) abolishing the requirement of trade licence for hospitals. The GO was issued following an appeal from the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) appealing medical establishments should be exempted from obtaining trade licences from local civic bodies.

Recently, PHANA members (during the National Healthcare Summit held in Bengaluru) had submitted a memorandum to the government seeking exemption from trade licence.

“Currently, there is a need to obtain a trade licence from the civic authorities for running clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, and diagnostic centres. We want this abolished as we are serving the community and not trading in activities. Some of the States do not require medical establishments to get trade licence. The industrial sector (MSME) in our State also does not require trade licence,” the memorandum said.