The state government has prepared a law to address the issue of bogus pathology labs, according to Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant, in a significant move aimed at maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of medical diagnostic services. The goal of the proposed legislation, which was addressed during the state assembly’s Question Hour, is to create strict guidelines and enforcement procedures to deal with infractions.
Minister Samant, who is in charge of technical and higher education, stressed that the new law will require pathology laboratories to have the right license and follow certain operational guidelines. A crucial aspect of the law is the establishment of flying squads whose job it is to do sporadic compliance checks. By taking this preventive measure, the public’s health is protected from unregistered and subpar pathology labs.
The fields of public health, medical education, and urban development are all impacted by the problem of fake pathology labs. As a result, several government agencies have taken notice of it. The state government’s determination to tackle the issue in its entirety is demonstrated by the initiative to create this law.A number of lawmakers expressed their worries and recommendations on pathology lab regulation during the assembly session. Ashish Shelar, a BJP MLA, emphasized the urgency of the situation by pointing out that phony labs put people’s health at serious danger in addition to taking advantage of them financially. He pushed for the registration of all collection facilities that have grown over time and demanded strict measures, including the filing of criminal charges against violators.
Legislator Rajesh Tope of the NCP (SP) proposed modifying the Nursing Home Act in the event that the new law could not be put into effect right away. In response, Minister Samant promised that the draft was complete and that the Nursing Home Act will be amended as needed to speed up the process.
A number of lawmakers expressed their worries and recommendations on pathology lab regulation during the assembly session. Ashish Shelar, a BJP MLA, emphasized the urgency of the situation by pointing out that phony labs put people’s health at serious danger in addition to taking advantage of them financially. He pushed for the registration of all collection facilities that have grown over time and demanded strict measures, including the filing of criminal charges against violators.
Legislator Rajesh Tope of the NCP (SP) proposed modifying the Nursing Home Act in the event that the new law could not be put into effect right away. In response, Minister Samant promised that the draft was complete and that the Nursing Home Act will be amended as needed to speed up the process.
Ajay Choudhary, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA, made a grave accusation, saying that some fake pathology labs collaborate with government institutions. This charge increased the importance of enforcing stringent regulations to eradicate malpractice and corruption in the healthcare industry.
The conversation also uncovered weaknesses in the current regulatory structure. Sunil Rane, a BJP lawmaker, was taken aback by the government’s statement that the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act 1888’s present regulations did not include any provisions for pathology lab registration. Rane emphasized the significance of regulatory compliance and demanded specific statistics on Mumbai’s pathology lab count.
Minister Samant gave information about the ongoing initiatives to control pathology labs. He said that since 2019, the Maharashtra Paramedical Council had approved 7,085 individuals, 182 of whom were in Mumbai, to run pathology labs. In addition, 197 labs were running in the city’s civic-run hospitals. A Fire NOC, certification from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, adherence to good clinical practices, and registration for the disposal of biomedical waste are among the criteria for labs.
SOURCE:
ECONOMICS TIMES
