Pvt hospitals not violating pricing norms: Kondru

Hyderabad, June 18 : Health Minister Kondru Murali Mohan on Tuesday denied that the private hospitals and diagnostic centres in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation were violating the regulation to display the services available and their charges.

In his reply to a question raised by MLA A Rajender and others during Question Hour in the State Legislative Assembly, the minister said that the Andhra Pradesh Allopathic Private Medical Care Establishments Act, 2002, was under implementation since August 11, 2006. As per the Act, the Establishment shall display the rates charges for each type of service provided by them, for the benefit of the patients at the reception counter in both the local and English language. A copy of such list be sent to the Registering Authority by 1st of June every for record. The details of service and rates shall be explained to the patients of their attendants at the time of admissions without any ambiguity.

The minister said that the it was not possible for the government to prescribe the charges as comfort and standard of treatment differs from establishment to establishment.

He said that the Hyderabad District Registering Authority has been constituted on February 2, 2008, to receive the application for the establishment for registration along with the fees prescribed. The State and District Level Advisory Committees too have been formed to monitor the review the progress made in the registration process and give timely advice to the Registration Authority for the proper and effective implementation of the Act in the District concerned and also recommend the government regarding the implementation of the conditions by those private medical care establishments.

The Minister said that the State Level Appellate Board has been constituted to receive and adjudicate the appeals preferred against the decision of the Registering Authority. INN