SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad Nov 8: Rattled by action on private hospitals, the Indian Medical Association on Monday urged the Jharkhand government to immediately amend the Clinical Establishment Act in the interest of patients as well as health centres of the state.
IMA state chapter secretary Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh said that the Clinical Establishment Act was passed in 2018 and all state governments were allowed to amend it as per their condition and requirement. But even after four years, the Jharkhand government has not changed it, he added and said that running a single clinic or hospital for a doctor couple has become impossible in the state.
“ IMA has been demanding from Jharkhand government to exempt 50 beds hospital from the Clinic Establishment Act as the Haryana government has done and give five years relaxation to the operator of the hospitals having above 50 beds facility,” said Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh.
The State IMA chapter has raised the issue following the closure of several private hospitals and nursing homes in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad under the Clinical Establishment Act by the health department recently.
Dr Singh has pointed out that if the amendment is not made in the Act, patients, as well as health centres in the state, would suffer. “ Generally whenever an accident occurs, the victim is immediately get admitted at nearby private or government health centre for first aid and is referred to a big hospital. But under Clinical Establishment Act referring the patient would be considered the criminal matter and the clinic would have to bear treatment cost of the patient till he/ she recovers completely,” he said.
The IMA secretary said if such clause of the Act is not amended patients would suffer in the state as the private clinic would not admit them.
Dr Singh said the government should take the advice of expert doctors of medical colleges over the issue and amend the Clinical Establishment Act so that the medical fraternity remains attached with people for providing health services.
