Thiruvananthapuram: Introduction of Clinical Establishments Bill

A bill to regulate the functioning of clinical establishments, including in hospitals, was introduced in the Kerala assembly today and was referred to the subject committee for further steps.

Bill Details

The Bill titled 'Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation), 2017', was moved by Health Minister K K Shailaja.

The bill stated that nearly 70 per cent of health services are being carried out in private hospitals, dispensaries, and laboratories and that there was no law to effectively control its functioning.

It said the government had decided to bring in a suitable law to regulate these institutions after holding discussions with experts in this field.

The bill also envisages steps to check the fee for tests and negligence in these institutions.

Doctors Oppose Bill

It is reported that the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) has raised their oppositions to the bill, pointing out that the present Kerala Clinical Establishments Bill lacks transparency in the proposed registration process, has a negative impact on public sector health care institutions, and inadequate representation of practitioners of modern medicine.

Statements from KGMOA

Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association general secretary Dr Raoof AK told TOI, "It is unclear how it will be implemented in the government sector. If the government decides that only NABH accredited hospitals will be exempted from inspection, then small hospitals will lose out and in the long run, treatment cost will increase. Though the aim is to maintain quality, one is unsure whether the purpose will be served. Also, most government hospitals don't have NABH accreditation."

Speaking to Deccan, he stated, “There are uncertainties on how it would be implemented in the public sector. A lion’s share of government health care institutions do not meet public health standards which stipulate the staff pattern and infrastructure. As the standardization of these institutions remains a distant dream, the public sector should be exempted from the purview of the bill. Otherwise, it would jeopardize the purpose of the bill. It may be noted that Kerala has a registration system under Kerala panchayat act and Kerala Municipalities act for clinical establishments."

“There is inadequate representation of government nominees from modern medicine in these two empowered committees. Considering the fact that more than 90 per cent of the health care is delivered by modern medicine, it is only logical that it is proportionately represented in these bodies. Government nominees would ensure transparency in these licensing and registering bodies," he added.