Too many unauthorised hospitals

The 'discovery' of yet another private hospital operating without proper authorisation accentuates the worsening conditions of the health services in the country. 

The four-storey, 20-bed general hospital in question reportedly did not renew its registration after 2014. What's more, it had no permission to run a neonatal ICU. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to see a link between this fact and the death of three newborn babies last Friday which prompted the authorities to shut it down and arrest two doctors and an official of this illegal facility. 

According to a report last year, more than 60 percent of private clinics and diagnostic centres in the country are operating without the approval of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) resulting in wrong and improper treatments while many others simply did not bother to get their permission renewed. It is bewildering why there is no mechanism for proper monitoring of these pseudo clinics for bringing them to book. On the other hand, is there any channel through which victims of gross medical malpractice can ventilate their grievances and hold the culprits accountable? 

We believe that the presence of these so-called clinics and hospitals running under the nose of the authorities negates the rhetoric of the much hyped qualitative leap the country is poised to take in all sectors including healthcare and education, the two most important vehicles of development. 

We demand that the DGHS immediately conduct an all-out drive against all such private establishments working without the proper authorisation and ensure that those involved in medical malpractice are given the highest punishment under law.