Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 4: Nearly 40 clinical labs, diagnostic centers and nursing homes are operating illegally and in clear violation of standing court orders in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu region.
This mushrooming growth of illegally operating clinic laboratories, nursing homes and diagnostic centers, under the nose of district administration in Rajouri, Sunderbani, Nowshera, Kalakote, Poonch, Mandi, Surankote and Mendhar areas has posed a great risk to the life of the people. Not only this, despite clear directives from the division bench of the apex court, these nursing homes, clinical labs and diagnostic centers are being allowed to operate by the Health and Medical Education Department. The court has clearly issued orders to seal the premises if such units are not registered and granted valid license under the Jammu and Kashmir Nursing Homes and Clinical Establishments ( Registration & Licensing) Act, 1963.
Unfortunately, the District Health authorities woke up from the deep slumber over this issue when a youth from Thannamandi area who was admitted to District Hospital was asked by a doctor of the hospital to get the required tests performed in a selective local private Lab. As most of the results appeared very disturbing, the family got worried and rushed the youth to Jammu. In a reputed Jammu Lab and also at GMC Jammu, these tests were performed and the youth was told all OK and had just fever. Then the family got an FIR registered with Rajouri police and victim’s brother Ehsan Mirza also filed complaint with the Chief Medical Officer Rajouri for taking action against the said Lab. It was found that the Lab was not registered with the Directorate of Health Services Jammu. Accordingly, that lab was sealed and interestingly, District Medical authorities requested the Police to take action against this particular Lab.
Just after one week of this incident, the CMO concerned then got published a list in the newspapers asking all the remaining labs and diagnostic centers to get themselves registered, failing which an action would be taken against them. This action was initiated only after this type of case came to the notice and was projected by the educated family.
Data compiled from the Health Department indicated that nearly 40 such labs, nursing homes and diagnostic centers are illegally operating in Rajouri and Poonch districts. While 33 such units are in Rajouri, rest are in Poonch district. Out of the total 35 operating in Rajouri, 19 are unregistered while 16 registered with the Directorate at Jammu. Out of 15 in Sunderbani, six are unregistered, in Nowshera out of 13, eight are operating illegally while in Kalakote there is only one which is registered.
Nineteen such labs and diagnostic centers/ nursing homes which are illegally operating in Rajouri are- M/s Al-Jadeed Dental Clinic Kheora- Rajouri, M/s SRL Diagnostic Lab Kheora, M/s New Health Care Lab Kheora, M/s V- Care Diagnostic Lab Kheora, M/s Appollo Diagnostic Centre (Digital X-Ray) Kheora, M/s Dr Nissar Nursing Home & Research Centre Kheora, M/s Dental Health Care Kheora-Rajouri, M/s Hi-Tech Lab Kheora, M/s NU-Look Dental Lab Gujjar Mandi Rajouri, M/s Al-Rehman Dental Clinic Gujjar Mandi Rajouri, M/s Dr Israr Dental Clinic Gujjar Mandi Rajouri, M/s Modern Clinic Lab Gujjar Mandi, M/s Health Care Clinical Lab Gujjar Mandi, M/s Health Care X-Ray, Old Hospital Rajouri, M/s Rajouri Digital X-Ray Gujjar Mandi, M/s Sharma Clinic Lab Gujjar Mandi, M/s Dental Health Care Gujjar Mandi, M/s Rajouri Medicity Nursing Home near Air Field Rajouri and M/s Day Care Centre (with surgical intervention centre) Gujjar Mandi.
In Sunderbani six un-registered and illegally operating such units are- M/s Mrs Shanti Devi Memorial Hospital and Research Institute (Nursing Home), M/s Sharma X-Ray Clinic, M/s Jandyal Dental Clinic, M/s GSK Clinical Lab, M/s Maha Laxami Clinical Lab and M/s Sharma Clinical Lab Sunderbani.
In Nowshera, eight such illegally operating units are- M/s V-Care Clinical Lab. M/s Gupta Dental Clinic, M/s Maharaja Dental Clinic, M/s Dental Hygienist Establishment, M/s Sawhney Dental Clinic, M/s Dental Health Care, M/s A K Diagnostic X-Ray and M/s Royal Shine and Smile Dental Clinic Nowshera. As per CMO Rajouri only one Clinical Lab with the name and style M/s Sharma Clinical Lab exists in Kalakote which is duly registered.
According to him these units must have proper permission from Municipal authorities/ Notified Area Committees, authorization from J&K Pollution Control Board for safe disposal of bio-medical waste, proper permission from UEED for sewerage and drainage, building plan with details, registration certificate from Industries/ Labour Deptt. Details of visiting doctors/ Medical staff and their qualification etc. After completion of required formalities they must apply to the Health Department.
According to CMO Poonch Dr Mumtaz Bhatti out of total 25 clinical labs and diagnostic centers existing in Poonch including Mandi, Mendhar and Surankote, majority of them are registered. He disclosed that about six-seven such units are not registered. In Poonch Jeevan Clinical Lab and Sheikh Faizin Diagnostic Centre in Poonch city are not registered. In Mendhar M/s Mughal X-Ray Clinic and M/s SR Pathcare Diagnostic Centre are operating illegally whereas, at Surankote out of eight, two such units are illegal. They are V-Care Clinical Lab and Sayed Jamat Ali Shah Charitable Hospital at Habib Nagar, Surankote. They have been asked to get themselves registered.
Meanwhile, Director Health Services Jammu, Dr Pathania when contacted said that he has issued directions to the concerned district heads to take action against these illegally operating units. He said mushrooming growth of such units is only in Rajouri and Poonch. Moreover, the single Lab at Rajouri against whom there was serious complaint has been sealed. When asked about any such action against such labs in Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Kathua and other areas, the Director said such instructions are for all the CMOs but there are no such complaints of this nature in other parts. He maintained that Department intends to seal all such units which are operating illegally.
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