The Andhra Pradesh Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (APNA) has asked the State Government to establish a single-window system to take care of all Acts and laws concerning private hospitals. Regulation for establishment of private hospitals is critical and the single window agency if set up would facilitate effective monitoring of day-to-day functions of hospitals.

Dr G Bala Reddy, president of APNA said that hospitals and clinics set up in rural and tribal areas should get some benefits and subsidies. He recommended that medical experts be included in consumer panels while dealing with cases of medical negligence. APNA wants health to be considered as part of services sector and appealed the Government to give concessions on power tariff for hospitals, he added.

APNA has also called for early and effective implementation of the AP Nursing Homes and Clinical Establishment Act. Though the bill was passed a couple of years ago, the Act is yet to see the light of the day, said, Dr Y Ravinder Rao, general secretary of APNA.

He expressed concern over attacks on nursing homes and medical practitioners and appealed that Home Ministry should take care that no arrests of doctors are made unless the department has obtained strong evidence in the cases of negligence.

APNA has about 5000 members in the State representing nursing homes, corporate hospitals, diagnostics, and medical colleges meeting up to 70 per cent of the State's medical needs.