3 months ago
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The Kerala section of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought peculiar information for tiny clinics and expressed interest implicit their inclusion nether the Clinical Establishments Act.
Leaders of the relation said definite provisions of the Act could restrict the functioning of tiny clinics, affecting their quality to present indispensable healthcare services. To item these concerns, doctors volition signifier protests astatine territory aesculapian offices crossed the State connected Friday (February 13, 2026) and taxable a memorandum.
The protests volition item the request that hospitals with up to 15 beds beryllium exempted from the purview of the Act and that consultation-only clinics beryllium allowed to supply basal diagnostic services.
“Lack of clarity connected the provisions and consciousness among officials astir the exemptions provided by the authorities for tiny clinics has affected the functioning of these centres. Most of these clinics person to connection indispensable services and not conscionable prescriptions to patients. There are concerns astir whether these clinics volition beryllium capable to relation properly,” said M.N. Menon, State president, IMA.
The relation said implicit 100 outpatient establishments had been unopen down successful the past 5 years. According to relation office-bearers, the closure of specified tiny clinics would unit patients to question attraction astatine larger hospitals, thereby expanding the fiscal load connected the public.
“These small-scale hospitals are captious to the nationalist healthcare strategy arsenic they supply indispensable services successful agrarian areas. If they unopen down, the nationalist volition extremity up paying much for aesculapian treatment. It is important that capable enactment beryllium provided to these institutions,” they said.
Dr. Menon said the protestation was a determination to gully attraction to the issue. “The authorities has been considerate and is taking into relationship our suggestions. But it is not translating into reality,” helium added.
