Now Reading: Coalition flags gaps in Maharashtra clinical establishments bill
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Coalition flags gaps in Maharashtra clinical establishments bill
The Jan Arogya Abhiyan (JAA), a coalition of health rights groups, has opposed the Maharashtra Clinical Establishments Bill 2026, saying it drops key patient safeguards from the current 2021 framework. Among the…
The Story in Brief
The Jan Arogya Abhiyan (JAA), a coalition of health rights groups, has opposed the Maharashtra Clinical Establishments Bill 2026, saying it drops key patient safeguards from the current 2021 framework. Among the missing provisions: a ban on hospitals withholding a deceased patient's body for any reason, a ban on confining a patient for non-payment, the right for women to have another woman present during examination, and clear rules for treating people with HIV. The JAA also said the draft lacks a district-level grievance mechanism and an independent regulatory body.
Health minister Prakash Abitkar tabled the bill on July 3 and referred it to a 21-member joint select committee. The Indian Medical Association had earlier opposed the bill, arguing it would hurt small and medium hospitals. The JAA has urged the government to hold wider consultations and incorporate the 20 patient rights from the National Patients' Rights Charter. The government has invited suggestions till August 20.
The Indian Opinion
Doctors call this bill a burden on small hospitals; patient groups call it weak on rights. Both sides have a point, but neither tells the full story. The real test is whether the final law gives patients a fast, district-level body to resolve complaints and stops hospitals from holding bodies for unpaid bills. The August 20 deadline for suggestions is the moment to watch: the number and quality of public responses will show if this is a genuine consultation or a box-ticking exercise.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
