As per a Health Department’s report submitted before the NHRC recently, not a single private clinic or Patholab operating in Kendrapada district has valid registration.
Though more than 20 private clinics are operating in the township area but they don’t have valid licences. Those whose licences have expired have not cared to renew them.
As per the Orissa Clinical Establishment (Control and Regulation) Act, it has been made mandatory for registering private nursing homes, Patholabs, X-Ray clinics and therapy centres in the State. But the law was not implemented in true letter and spirit.
As a result, NHRC activist Akhanda filed a petition with the NHRC in this regard in January 2014. Taking the matter seriously, the NHRC in its case No- 526/2014 had asked the State Health Department to submit a report.
After receiving the direction of the NHRC, the State Health Department directed all the CDMOs to submit a detailed report on how many clinics and patho labs have been operating and whether they have valid licences.
The Kendrapada CDMO said in his report that a task force has been constituted in the district with the district Collector as its chairman and the SP and the CDMO as members. As per the guidelines, the task force has to verify the registration and renewal of the private clinics operating in the district at regular intervals. However, the task force is not properly functioning.