SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Nov 28: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is on the boil after the health department initiated action against private hospitals/ clinics under the controversial Clinical Establishment Act (CEA) without amendment.
IMA questions double standards of Jharkhand govt
IMA state chapter secretary Dr Pradip Kumar Singh said that it looks strange that on the one hand, the government agreed to amend the Act as per the requirements of the people, it has ordered to take action on the other hand.
The Jharkhand health department has issued a letter to the Civil Surgeons of all 24 districts to take action against private hospital/clinics which does not fulfil the criteria of the Clinical Establishment Act.
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An IMA official said last year a high-level committee comprising a joint secretary, deputy secretary, director-in-chief of health services (from the government side), IMA secretary (Dr Pradip Kumar Singh), Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA) secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh, Private Hospitals Board chairman Dr RS Prasad prepared a common formula for amendment in the CEA.
Formula for amending CEA
Later on, a meeting was also held in the chamber of the health minister in the presence of additional chief secretary (ACS) Arun Kumar Singh, joint secretary Alok Trivedi, IMA and JHSA office-bearers in which the formula of the high-level committee was accepted. It was decided to make changes in rules and not in the Act so that it does not require endorsement from the assembly and only the Cabinet can pass it.
“When all things were settled then why the government has initiated action under ECA without amending the Act,” questioned the IMA.
“It is nothing but a breach of trust from the state government. IMA called off agitation believing in the assurance of government. But rather than making amendment in the Act as 18 states have done, Jharkhand government has begun initiating coercive steps under CEA”, Dr Singh said.
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Poor patients to suffer: IMA
IMA secretary said the doctors’ body has a single demand to keep 50 and its below bed health centres exempted from the Act.
“If CEA is implemented in its present shape, only government hospitals and corporate nursing homes would survive in Jharkhand. Rural health services would be completely paralyzed. The poor patients would have to pay Rs 50,000 for the treatment at corporate nursing homes for which at present they pay merely Rs 5,000 private clinics”, said Dr Singh.
IMA office-bearer said former chief secretary Dr DK Tiwari had at a meeting with IMA admitted that he gets checked up by private clinic doctors. Despite this, the present government is trying to wipe out small hospitals/clinics which cannot afford to equip pollution and other high-cost equipments under ECA.
