The government of India has introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to regulate private hospitals and medical clinics to ensure uniform standards of facilities and services and to crack down on illegal trade of organs.
The Clinical Establishments Bill has made provisions for setting up a national council and state councils and for regulating such establishments.
According to the statement of objects and reasons appended to the Bill, the national council will consist of representatives from the Medical Council of India, the Dental Council, the Nursing Council etc.
The national council will compile, maintain and update a national register of clinical establishments in addition to develop the minimum standards for the clinics, and their periodic review.
For registration and continuation of operation, every clinical establishment will have to prescribe to the minimum standards of facilities and services, the minimum number of personnel and provisions for maintenance of records and reporting.
The establishments will have to provide such medical examination and treatment as may be required to stabilise the emergency medical condition of any individual who comes or is brought to the facility.
The Bill would ensure that no person runs a clinical establishment unless it has been duly registered in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
The Bill was presented in the Lok Sabha by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. In reply to a question, Mr Azad informed the parliament that the central government has decided to increase yearly mental health allocation for each district from Rs.1.2 crore to Rs.2.5 crore.
He said the government was serious about mental health and the revised allocation would help in increasing awareness about mental health and improving existing infrastructure at the district hospital level.
