Maharashtra Medical Council seeks control over private hospitals

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has proposed an amendment to the MMC Act, which seeks to bring private hospitals under its control.

A draft of the amendment, the preparation of which is in the pipeline, will be sent to the government for its approval. Under the Act, cognisance is taken of complainants against an individual doctor who is registered with the council.

However, if there is any complaint against hospitals, the council can’t take any action presently, said Dr Shivkumar Utture, president of the MMC.

The general practice is, if a patient has any grievance against a private hospital, he has to approach the court as the MMC and state government have no control or jurisdiction over such hospitals.

Dr Utture, said, “We are receiving many complaints about malpractices in these hospitals and we are unable to take action against the hospital authorities. We are proposing an amendment in the MMC Act 1965. Soon, the draft will be sent to the government for approval Our aim is to bring all the healthcare facilities under the ambit of the MMC.”

Many private and trust-run hospitals are coming up across the state, and the MMC hopes to regulate them.

The amendment would is also important to keep a check on corruption, which occurs due to cut practice that is rampant in certain private hospitals.

Earlier the state government had tabled the ‘Cut Commission Practice Act’ in the Legislative Assembly.

The Central government had also asked the states to implement the Clinical Establishment Act, but that too is pending.