IMA seeks revision of Clinical Establishments Act

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded a revision of the Clinical Establishments Act by exempting provisions that adversely affect Kerala’s public health system, particularly small hospitals and clinics. The call was raised at a dharna organised by the IMA Kannur district committee in front of the collectorate on Friday (February 13).

Opening the protest, former IMA national vice-president Dr. Babu Ravindran said that protecting small hospitals that provided quality treatment at affordable rates was a public necessity. He pointed out that nearly 1,500 small healthcare institutions had shut down in the State over the past five years, a trend that warranted serious public debate.

The IMA said that with a majority of Kerala’s population depending on the private healthcare sector, the enforcement of impractical regulations that placed additional burden on such institutions was unacceptable. Measures that weaken accessible healthcare facilities would ultimately harm ordinary citizens, it added.

IMA district chairman Mini Balakrishnan, national vice-president R. Ramesh, and representatives of various IMA branches in the district took part in the dharna.