The Hindu : Front Page : Registration of private hospitals made compulsory

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 30, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Registration of private hospitals made compulsory

Special Correspondent

Mohd. Ali Shabbir

HYDERABAD: The Cabinet on Saturday decided to make registration of private medical institutions like hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and laboratories mandatory and to fill in one month 3,500 posts of doctors and others in 424 government hospitals in the rural areas.

The Government wants private institutions registered with the Health and Medical Department for better monitoring of the public health system. The compulsory registration is applicable only to allopathic institutions.

This decision is in pursuance of the passage of the Andhra Pradesh Private Medical Care Establishments (Registration & Regulation) Act of 2002. However, the provision for arresting the manager of the medical institution for any violations of the Act has been dropped. Other penalties specified in the law would be retained and the relevant rules for compulsory registration framed in a month.

Briefing reporters later, Information Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir and Principal Health Secretary I. V. Subba Rao said among the posts to be filled were 1,089 doctors, 1,201 nurses and 1,210 paramedical staff. These personnel would be posted in 424 primary health centres, both upgraded and new.

The Minister explained that the mass recruitment would involve an annual financial commitment of Rs 27.4 crores. The upper age limit would be relaxed for contract doctors working in government hospitals if they were willing to serve in rural areas.

Referring to the notification of 1,000 doctors' posts earlier, he said only 781 could be filled. Of them, 156 doctors were deputed to tribal areas.

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