IMPHAL, June 3: The Manipur Health Directorate has begun initiating a concrete action plan against unregistered health care units operating in the State with the objective of effective implemention and proper functioning of the ‘Free Drug Service’ and ‘Free Diagnostic Service’ initiatives under the National Health Mission under Government of India.
The two initiatives are ambitious schemes of the Union Health Ministry aimed at sprucing up health care facilities in the country and providing free generic drugs at government health care units.
In the State, the Health Directorate has directed all unregistered private hospitals, health clinics, and institutions in different parts of the State to stop functioning unless it has been duly registered under Section 3 of the Manipur Nursing Homes and Clinics Registration Act, 1992.
The Health Directorate has also appealed to the general public to refrain from going to such unregistered health care units and that the directorate will not be responsible for the quality and legality of services rendered by them.
At present there are around 236 unregistered hospitals, health clinics including private health institutions identified by the Health Directorate in the State.
According to a State Health Department official, the action had become mandatory for improving the health care performance in the State.
Despite of the State’s tireless effort towards improving the health care system, the performance score remains under-reported at the centre, he said while identifying regularization of such health care units as the main hindrance to the progress.
It is also learnt that since the directorate notification with regard to unregistered health care units, many such units have come forward to register themselves.