The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Private hospitals norms being finalised: Valsaraj

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Friday, Jul 23, 2004

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Private hospitals norms being finalised: Valsaraj

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, JULY 22. A technical committee, comprising the Director of Health and Family Welfare Services and the Medical Superintendents of government, and maternity hospitals, has been formed to finalise the rules to regulate private nursing homes and maternity hospitals in the Union Territory, the Health Minister, E. Valsaraj, told the Assembly today.

A supervisory body would also be formed in which medical and administrative officers and people's representatives would be included as members, he said replying to a debate on a motion raised by R. Kamalakannan (Congress) seeking appropriate inspection of working of the private hospitals.

The standard norms adopted in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and New Delhi for regulating private hospitals, were taken into consideration for framing rules for the Union Territory.

Public Health Act

Mr. Valsaraj said the Government had framed the Pondicherry (Public) Health Act. In the first phase of its implementation, the Administration had enforced provisions covering appointment of health authorities, prevention and control of communicable diseases. The rules relating to other aspects of the Act will be framed in four months.

Earlier members brought to the notice of the Minister the sufferings of the patients in private institutions either because of hefty fees charged and virtually indifferent treatment leading to worsening of the ailments.

The Health Minister felt that when excellent health services were available in government hospitals there was little or no need for the people to make a beeline to private hospitals.

But R Siva (DMK) said that the number of patients turning up at government hospitals was greater. Many patients were virtually forced to lie on the floor.

Rise in adulteration

The former Local Administration Minister, C. Jayakumar, called upon the Government to initiate steps to ensure that consumers do not fall prey to economic offenders.

Taking up the issue during the question hour in the Assembly today, he alleged that adulterated milk was being pushed into the local market from other States.

Poor staff strength in the department concerned had led to increase in adulteration of commodities.

Mr. Jayakumar wanted a proportional increase in the strength of food inspectors with regard to the population of Pondicherry.

He also sought the setting up of a separate lab for the Foods and Drug Commissioner's office, which was presently utilising the Public Health Lab of the Department of Health.

The Health Minister said details on this issue would be furnished when the debate on the demand for grants to Health Department is taken up in the House.

Civic polls

V. Vaithilingam (Congress) made out a case in the Assembly today that civic polls should be held without delay in the Union Territory.

He said that if one perused the questions tabled during the current budget session of the Assembly one would see that most of the questions related to the clearing of garbage and solid waste at various points, improvement of civic amenities and also maintenance of internal roads and drainages.

These subjects fell within the ambit of civic bodies. But the absence of elected panchayat bodies had obliged the legislators to raise these issues to get replies from the government.

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