Driving by a growing demand for specialised medical care, overcrowding and long waiting times in large tertiary-care hospitals, infrastructure gaps, and other factors, private investment in healthcare has increased across the country.
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Driving by a growing demand for specialised medical care, overcrowding and long waiting times in large tertiary-care hospitals, infrastructure gaps, and other factors, private investment in healthcare has increased across the country. Nagaland is also witnessing a steady increase in the number of private hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and diagnostic facilities, particularly in urban areas. This enhances timely access to health services, but it also comes with a caveat: the increasing number of unregistered facilities poses a risk to public health. The Nagaland Health Care Establishment Authority (NHCE) Act, 1997 mandates the registration of all private health care establishments in the state to legitimise operations and ensure that such facilities adhere to the prescribed standards for hygiene, ethical practices, infrastructure, etc. for quality health service and patient safety. Those found flouting the law are punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, or a fine, or both. The authority may also cancel or suspend licences for violations. However, the Department of Health and Family Welfare has revealed that several healthcare establishments in the state have been operating without adhering to mandatory provisions of the Act. Terming the widespread violation of the law as a matter of serious concern, the department has directed all healthcare centres in the state to strictly comply with the licensing norms. The authority also flagged pharmacies engaging doctors for consultation services, saying that it would be treated as a clinic under the NHCE Act. It reminds us of the incident that happened in Dimapur about a year ago, wherein a person was found to be attending to patients for years at a well-known pharmacy in the city by impersonating a medical doctor. The accused person was arrested, and the drug store was shut down for facilitating an unregistered OPD clinic. This incident, which triggered outrage, should have served as a lesson for medical practitioners and pharmacy owners, but that seems not to be the case.
Medicine is regarded as a noble profession. Physicians, tasked with saving human lives, are expected to uphold high moral and ethical standards. In India, a death occurring in an unregistered health facility, including clinics, is considered a criminal offence, often resulting in criminal investigations against those involved. Despite being aware of the consequences, some health professionals still choose to work in settings that pose risks to patient safety, which is unfortunate. It’s time the state government strictly enforce regulations and policies related to public health. It should continue the crackdown on the sale of restricted drugs by licensed pharmacies through regular inspections. Additionally, unscientific fraudulent activities, such as quackery and charlatanism that exploit people’s gullibility and ignorance, must be addressed with stringent measures.