CHENNAI: Registration status of 55 per cent of clinical establishments under Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment Act, 2018, in Ambattur zone is not known, an RTI reply to a resident, showed.
Last year, the State government enacted the law which mandated every hospital, clinic and laboratory to register with the health department.
Information provided to B Ramesh of Ambattur by Zonal Medical Officer, Ambattur, Greater Chennai Corporation, revealed that among 49 clinical establishments, both private and government, registration status of only 27 is known.
Meanwhile a health department official told Express, “We will conduct street-wise inspection. We are yet to begin the process as the deadline has just ended. It is our duty to check on these clinical establishments too. Prior to the Act, anyone could open a clinic. But now they have to register with Directorate of Medical and Rural Services within six months of functioning.”
Ramesh, who filed the RTI petition said, “Officials should act on unregistered hospitals. Many private hospitals charge exorbitant fee. So, it is the right of people to know if the hospitals they are going to are registered or not.”
Status unknown
Information provided to B Ramesh of Ambattur by Zonal Medical Officer, Ambattur, revealed that among 49 clinical establishments, both private and government, registration status of only 27 is known