The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Private hospitals to come under State scanner soon

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Tuesday, Mar 13, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Private hospitals to come under State scanner soon

Special Correspondent

Some sort of supervision over them is necessary: Health Minister Some sort of supervision over them is necessary: Health Minister Rules to be framed soon as Government feels some sort of supervision is necessary

HYDERABAD: Health Minister K. Rosaiah said here on Monday that rules would be announced soon for Government supervision over private hospitals, including those offering super speciality facilities, and nursing homes.

Responding to a zero hour mention by P. Janardhan Reddy (Cong.) in the Assembly, the Minister said the Government presently held no control over private hospitals as there was no licensing or registration.

However, the Government was of the view that "some sort of supervision over them is necessary" as otherwise, they would go astray.

PJR's charge

Earlier, Mr. Reddy alleged that Care Hospital refused to treat a worker who was seriously injured in an industrial accident in Patancheru until Rs. 25,000 was deposited. The worker later died.

He said the hospital did not release the body even after assurance was given by the ESI and the factory management to clear the bills.

Mr. Reddy alleged that almost all other super specialities hospitals, including NIMS, Apollo, Medwin, Yashoda, Kamineni and Global, were also treading the same lines without any consideration for the poor.

He said they were bound to treat white cardholders free of cost on humanitarian grounds in lieu of the concessions they obtained from the Government.

The Minister said these hospitals used to give an undertaking earlier to treat white cardholders free.

He clarified that they were not obliged to extend free benefit any more as excise duty restrictions were removed on import of equipments.

He expressed inability to order a judicial inquiry into the incident in Care Hospital but said the District Medical and Health Officer would be asked to conduct a probe.

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