IMA Kerala raises concern over Clinical Establishments Act, small hospitals at risk

The decision to stage the protest was taken after the State working committee held a meeting on Sunday, and almost 280 members participated in the meeting. The Kerala State branch has urged the government to implement the Act in such a manner that small hospitals and clinics can maintain their infrastructure to provide affordable and accessible care to the public. 

Talking to Medical Dialogues, State president of the IMA, M.N. Menon stated, “I must agree that introducing the Kerala Clinical Establishments Act was an effective way to ensure proper healthcare services. However, currently, other than consultation clinics, no other hospitals have been exempted from the provisions of the Act. It is necessary to initiate legal amendments to confirm that these clinics are prepared with the basic infrastructure required for diagnosis and treatment.”

“IMA pointed out that an exemption should be there for small hospitals, especially those with up to 15 beds. These hospitals play an important part in delivering affordable healthcare to people in rural areas. Government has been giving a positive reaction to our demands, but it is important to understand that small clinics should not come under the same rules as the large hospitals,” he added.