Oct 17, 2022, 06:33 pm
NCT of Delhi's government today informed the Delhi High Court that it had issued an order seeking uniformity in functioning of pathological laboratories amid the problem of unlicensed laboratories.
The Delhi High Court claimed in an affidavit that the Health Department issued an order on 31 May, 2022, in order to bring uniformity and standardisation to the operation of the pathological laboratories in the NCT of Delhi, and that this order will remain in effect until the Delhi Health Bill is finalised.
According to the affidavit, the Delhi Health Bill, 2022, regulates clinical establishments that provide services in recognised medical systems in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, including laboratories, and specifies the minimum facilities and services that must be offered by them in order to protect the interests of patients and healthcare professionals.
It is further submitted that Delhi Health Bill, 2022 has been drafted by the Committee constituted by the Respondent Department along with the Directorate General of Health Services comprising eminent members like Dean, MAMC; MD, Lok Nayak Hospital; DGHS; MD, Dr. BSA Hospital; Principal, Nehru Homeopathic Hospital; RDHS, Central District; RDHS, North District; Associate Professor, A&U Tibia College; President, Indian Medical Association and President, Delhi Medical Council.
Previously, a PIL requesting the closure of all illegal pathology and diagnostic laboratories run by untrained laboratory technicians in the nation's capital had been served with a notice by the Delhi High Court to the AAP government.
Bijon Kumar Misra, the petitioner, asked the court to swiftly implement the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act in the national capital region in 2010 through the assistance of attorneys Shashank Deo Sudhi and Dr. Shashi Bhushan.
According to the appeal, just 10% of the pathological labs and diagnostic centres in Delhi are accredited by the National Accreditation Board (NAB), a subsidiary of the Quality Council of India (QCI), with the rest 90% being run illegally.
The petitioner claimed in the PIL that the diagnostic facilities and pathological laboratories are the foundation of the healthcare system and that a patient's entire course of treatment depends on such clinical reports. In order to have top-notch diagnostic facilities and pathology labs, it is crucial that the government implement the necessary procedures.