PANEL FORMED TO REVIEW CLINICAL ESTABLISHMENT ACT

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday agreed to put the implementation of UP Clinical Establishment Act 2016 (Registration and Implementation) on hold and formed a panel to review the provisions of the Act.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday agreed to put the implementation of UP Clinical Establishment Act 2016 (Registration and Implementation) on hold after a delegation of doctors met him and voiced their concern over some of its ‘controversial’ provisions.

A panel headed by chief secretary would now review the provisions of the Act in consultation with the doctors’ associations and submit a report to the CM. The delegation of doctors that met the CM comprised representatives of United Doctors’ Forum (UDF) and Indian Medical Association (IMA). It apprised him about the difficulties that would come in the way of providing timely medical aid to the patients if the Act was passed in its present form.

The State cabinet had given its nod to the Act on July 11. The CM asked the delegation to suggest a model on how to improve and strengthen rural medical facilities and services in the state.

The medical fraternity was up in arms over the implementation of what is primarily a Central government Act (The Clinical Establishment - Registration and Regulation Act of 2010). The doctors’ bodies had held a general body meeting on July 23 in which a decision was taken to hold a sit-in near the Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at GPO on July 30. Apart from procurement of several no objection certificates, the Act, according to the doctors’, envisaged formation of district and state-level committees for implementation of the Act with no doctor as member on the panel.

The district magistrate was made the regulator whereas the doctors wanted that the job should be entrusted with chief medical officer. “There are several other nonsensical and cumbersome provisions which we had pointed out in our 12-point memorandum to the authorities but they never pointed out these anomalies to their seniors,” said a member requesting anonymity.