The Clinical Establishments (registration and regulation) Bill, seeking to make the registration of all clinics in the country mandatory, has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare for a review, even as different organizations are gearing up themselves to register their objections to the bill.
The bill, which was introduced in Lok Sabha in August, was referred to the Committee by the Rajya Sabha chairman in consultation with the Lok Sabha speaker for examination and report within three months, sources said. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary panel which is also examining the Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Bill, 2007 introduced to set up the Central Drug Authority of India is meeting on December 15. The panel would take note of the representations from different pharma and other bodies on the proposed CDAI. The bill, presented in the Rajya Sabha in August, has also been referred to the committee.
The Government move to bridle the clinical establishments including one man clinics has also run into criticism from different quarters including the Indian Medical Association. The association is also planning to take their views to the Parliamentary panel.
The IMA felt that health was a state subject and the Centre had no right to intervene in the matter. The provisions for medical negligence have in particular raised in the heckles of the organization as it would have a serious impact on the medical practice, sources said.
The bill seeks to make registration of all clinics mandatory and it provides for penalty upto Rs 5 lakh for defaulting. The proposed legislation provides for the constitution of a National Council with DGHS as chairman, and consisting of representatives of the Dental Council of India, the Nursing Council of India, the Pharmacy Council of India, the Indian System of Medicines representing the Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy systems, the Indian Medical Associations, the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Zonal Councils set up under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the North Eastern Council, etc.
"At present, the supervision and regulation of the quality of services provided by the health care delivery system to the people by both public and private sectors has largely remained a contentious matter and therefore, unresolved issue. The current structure of the healthcare delivery system does not provide enough incentives for improvement in efficiency. The private sector health care delivery system in India has remained largely unregulated and uncontrolled. Problems range from inadequate and inappropriate treatment, excessive use of high technologies, wastage of scarce resources and problems of medical malpractice and negligence,'' the bill said.