Delhi govt not controlling private hospitals, says Vijender Gupta

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta on Monday lashed out at the Delhi government for its failure to rein in medical negligence of private hospitals.

Mr Gupta also attributed the mess in the Max Hospital to the government’s failure to implement the Centre’s Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010.

He further said that the need for such a legislation was felt due to wide variation in healthcare delivery across providers, resulting in compromised patient safety and concerns about transparency and accountability in healthcare costs.

According to Mr Gupta, the Act permits the health authorities to conduct inspections and penalise or cancel licenses of those hospitals found to be fleecing patients, either by prescribing needless tests and procedures among others.

Mr Gupta said, “It is pity that the government is going soft on the medical community. Public interest should not be compromised at any cost. The results of such an attitude are before us —  exploitation, overcharging and medical negligence,”

Mr Gupta further claimed that Delhi health minister Satyender Jain had assured the medical community in April, 2015 that a doctor-friendly bill would be introduced in the Delhi Assembly in lieu of the present Clinical Establishment Act Bill.

“True to his words, the minister has ensured that the patient-friendly Act does not see the light of the day,” Mr Gupta