The Rajasthan government will come up with a bill seeking direct control over all private hospitals, nursing homes and diagnostic centres in the state, State Health Minister Digambar Singh said Sunday.
'We are planning to introduce a special bill in the next assembly session to monitor all private health centres operating in the state. This is to check activities against the interests of the state and its people,' Singh told IANS.He said before drafting the bill the government would consult experts and conduct a detailed study of similar laws in force in other states.
Official sources said complaints of excessive charges, negligence in treatment and foeticide by private health establishments was the reason behind the move.
A similar law, 'Rajasthan Clinical Establishment Act 2001', was enacted by the former Congress regime. However, some political leaders and health organisations pressurised the then government to reconsider the provisions of the bill before sending it to the governor for his assent.
Accordingly, it was refereed to a six-member expert Committee, which submitted a favourable report. Yet, the bill did not see the light of the day.
(Source: IANS)
