IMA continued protests against Clinical Establishments Bill

IMA members submitted a memorandum and requested Tewari to appeal for the withdrawal of the Bill.

The Union Cabinet had approved the proposal of Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill in January, 2010 and finally approved it in Lok Sabha. The bill will be passed in the upper house, Rajya Sabha, in the coming Monsoon Session starting from July 7.

As per the new regulations, the Bill will allow categorization and registration of different hospitals, clinics and health establishments, depending on their location and services being offered.

Cause of protests
Protests were held against the Bill as it will open the doors for unqualified persons to get registered under the name of yoga, unani, siddha, nursing, pharmacy and education related to the healthcare.

Due to the Bill, even the Chief Medical Officer of the district can have the power to inspect a private health institution that can impose a fine up to Rs 5 lakh and cancel registration of clinics, nursing homes or hospitals.

“The bill also makes it mandatory for all private health institutions to provide medical treatment to all emergency cases without making it necessary for patients to pay for the expenses incurred on treatment. This is not justified," a member of the delegation said.

According to Dr Narotam Dewan, president of IMA, “The introduction of bill is a severe blow to the private health sector in India.”

Dr. Hardeep Singh, secretary of IMA, Ludhiana, stated that, “The government is coming up with the bill to favour big corporate hospitals at the cost of small hospitals and self entrepreneur doctors.”

Dr Satish Nauhria, senior vice-president of IMA, president of the Hospital and Nursing Home Association, said, “the medical fraternity was already bound to follow at least 40 Acts and ethics imposed on it. There was no need for this stringent bill.”

As the doctors found the Bill’s provisions against their profession, so, they continued the protests and decided to observe Doctor’s Day as Black Day on July 1.