Surveillance by MCI must: Medical experts

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 13

Medical experts have demanded proper implementation of the Clinical Establishment Act and surveillance by the Medical Council of India after a kidney racket was busted recently.

Questions are being raised on the role of the Uttarakhand Medical Council, which is being run on ad-hoc basis for the past several years. A doctor on the condition of anonymity said, “How come no one got a wind of the doctor who was already under scanner for his role in illegal sale of organs. The MCI should keep a check on unethical practices and ensure implementation of the MCI Act.”

“We require a strong policy and administrative system so that surveillance is carried at every step,” said Dr RP Bhatt, former DG, Health and Medical.

Further, proper implementation of the Clinical Establishment Act continues to be a problem.

“The Clinical Establishment Act is not being implemented fully as the MCI has raised several objections. So far we have managed to register around 135 private hospitals alone,” said Dr TC Pant, CMO, Dehradun.

The medical tourism industry in the state is largely centered in Dehradun, Haridwar and Haldwani after a number of private hospitals were set up in the past few years. Most of these hospitals offer dental and knee surgeries and kidney transplant procedures are performed rarely.