Six Gurugram hospitals enrolled under Clinical Establishments Act

Gurugram: In the face of strong resentment and protests by the medical fraternity, the Haryana government is all set enforce the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, which is aimed at bringing more transparency in the functioning of hospitals in Gurugram and other districts.

Hospitals with capacity of more than 100 beds are required to register themselves under this Act.

Four private hospitals and two government ones have already enrolled themselves, in spite of various challenges.

There are an estimated 150 medical institutions liable to get registered under the Act.

According to senior government officials, the Act, once enforced completely, will make doctors more accountable to patients.

However, most hospitals protested the Act citing that it will provide sweeping powers to the public authorities to unnecessarily harass doctors.

"We are committed to registering all medical institutions under this act. This act is bound to bring in more transparency," said Dr BK Rajoura, Chief Medical Officer, Gurugram health department.

For long, while public healthcare system has been struggling with inadequate infrastructure, private hospitals are facing a sever credibility crisis.

Various inspections have been undertaken by the Food and Drugs Department of the Haryana government in both small and large super-specialty private hospitals, where several lapses have been found.

Notwithstanding the controversies surrounding top private hospitals, a recent damning report surfaced after a RTI application was filed, which revealed that over 224 private clinics in Gurugram district were being operated by quacks.

Taking cognisance of the issue, the Haryana government ramped up efforts to enforce the Clinical Establishment Act, which the Haryana Assembly passed in 2014 with some amendments.

The public anger against Gurugram's private healthcare set-up has been fueled by deaths and exploitation of patients in quick succession in some private hospitals.