Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 11: As per official communiqué received from Directorate of Health Services, Jammu, the department has conducted surprise inspection of Hardas Orthopedic OPD Clinic, near Airport, Dr Gurvinder Singh’s Hargun OPD Clinic, Gandhi Nagar, Fortis Escorts OPD Clinic, Trikuta Nagar and Amandeep Multi-Specialty OPD Clinic, Greater Kailash Chowk.
During the course of inspection, it was found that these private clinics were not working according to the norms of Nursing Homes & Clinical Establishments and were ordered to be closed by the Director Health Services, Jammu.
Pertinent to mention that on the directions of Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat, the Director Health Services, Jammu has constituted a team of senior officers of the department comprising of Dr. Ved Parkash Sharma, Dy. Director Health Services (Schemes) and Dr Robinder Khajuria, Chief Medical Officer, Jammu to carry out surprise inspections.
The team found that these clinical establishments were being run without proper registration under the department.
Meanwhile, a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) comprising officers of Vigilance Organization Kashmir along with experts from Health and Engineering Departments in presence of Executive Magistrates was conducted at various places of Kashmir valley.
It was initiated on the receipt of complaints from public with the allegations that the owners/Managers of the private Nursing Homes/Laboratories/ Private Hospitals in league with some of the employees of Health Department are charging exorbitant rates from the patients for conducting various Medical, Diagnostic, Pathological, Haematological, Serological, Radiological and other allied investigations/ examinations in the Valley.
During surprise check at one of the famous Diagnostic Centres in Srinagar, expired reagents were found used by such lab owners for conducting tests like hepatitis and other similar tests, besides some of the Government employees (Health Deptt.) were found conducting such tests during official hours.
Moreover, at some places X-Rays & ECG was being done in a very small room in a casual manner, the area of which is much less than the prescribed limits under rules. The registration licences in some of the medical establishments was also found expired ranging 1 to 7 years.
Further, few Nursing Homes functional in the Valley are in contravention with the J&K Nursing Homes and Clinical Establishment (Registration and Licensing) Act, 1963 & Rules 1991 and the records so obtained from them is being examined/ scrutinized.
Further action will follow under law after the verification into the matter is completed, a Vigilance Organization handout said.
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