The Union Ministry of public health and family welfare on July 17 has issued the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Third Amendment Rules 2019 and the Classification and Categorisation of Clinical Establishments Rules. These rules aim to make available a database of clinical establishments which are authorised to function and thereby improve public health quality by eliminating quacks.
As per these rules, clinics should be spread over 70 sq ft with a waiting area of another 35 sq ft. It will have separate storage and pharmacy and they need to store and maintain oxygen cylinder and drugs. Further, clinical establishments have to display the information on the rates charged for each type of service provided and facilities available at a conspicuous place in the local as well as in English language. A suitably qualified individual should head the organisation and manage ethically.
Several medical practitioners, who did not want to be identified, said that the provisions in the draft notifications will certainly help to curb quackery especially due to the registration of all clinics, hospitals and health care facilities including diagnostic centres and day care facilities. But they cited that it will result in increased cost which will be passed on to the patients.
''The flip side is that it may not be possible for standalone physicians, clinicians, polyclinics and diagnostic centres to adhere to these provisions laid down in the notifications as they may have to shut down due to inability to higher cost of healthcare facilities,'' said Dr Parthiv Sanghvi, former secretary, Indian Medical Association Maharashtra. He opined that the proposed rules will polarise the healthcare into government and municipal corporation clinics and hospitals which may not have adequate healthcare facilities and the private corporate high-end hospitals where affordable healthcare will remain a distant dream for the general population.
Sanghvi suggested that the display of charges should not be made mandatory as it may deprive subsidised healthcare to the weaker sections.
