SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Mar 9: The dispute over the controversial Clinical Establishment Act (CEA) is likely to be settled soon, as the four-member expert committee has submitted its recommendations to the Srtate Government.
Sources said the expert committee, comprising director in-chief health Dr Virendra Prasad Singh, South Chhotanagpur regional director of health Dr Raghvendra Narayan Sharma, technical consultant of health department Dr Rakesh Dayal and Assembly dispensary senior medical officer Dr Pradip Kumar Singh, has submitted its suggestions for amendment in the CEA.
The amendment in CEA has significance as doctors’ bodies have called an indefinite strike from March 13 for it. They have been demanding amendments to the CEA since 2013.
The IMA has been demanding from the Jharkhand government to exempt 50 beds hospital from the Clinic Establishment Act as per Haryana/Punjab/Uttar Pradesh model and give five years relaxation to the operator of the hospitals having above 50 beds facility,
One of the members said the amendment report had been prepared after holding five rounds of parley (among members) and three rounds discussing it with the state Health Minister Banna Gupta and additional chief secretary (ACS) health Arun Kumar Singh.
“Since the health minister and the ACS health look the amendment seriously in the interest of patients, we hope the CEA would be amended this time,” said Dr Pradip Kumar Singh, the secretary state chapter of the Indian Medical Association.
However, most of the IMA members are still sceptical over amendments to the CEA. They said that this is for the third time in 9 years that such a step has been initiated for amendment.
In 2014, when Rajendra Prasad Singh was health minister and Hemant Soren was chief minister, the cabinet passed a resolution to amend the CEA and put it up in the assembly. The proposal was sent to Select Committee at the last moment.
Similar things happened in 2019 when Ramchandra Chandravanshi was health minister and Raghubar Das was chief minister. The cabinet passed the amendment and tabled the bill in the assembly. But once again the bill was sent to the Select Committee.
However, IMA secretary Dr Pradip Kumar Singh said that this time both the health minister as well as the ACS health look honest and serious to make amendments to the Act. The IMA hopes this time amendment to the CEA will get through, he added.
