SHILLONG: Among the plethora of private diagnostic centres, pathology laboratories and assorted testing clinics besides nursing homes in the city, there are only a few which have the approval from the Health and Family Welfare department to run such facilities.
In a reply to a query by RTI activist Arju Dkhar, the Director of Health Services (MI) stated that there are three diagnostic centres and pathology laboratories in the state which have been given approval by the department.
These are Dr Lal Path Labs, Economic Medical Hall, Police Bazar, Legacy Laboratory, Them Marwet, Khanapara and Pranavananda Seva Niketan Diagnostic Laboratory, Jail Road.
Besides, there are 10 nursing homes and hospitals which also enjoy the department’s blessings for their operations.
The RTI reply stated that all the doctors appointed by these private hospitals and diagnostic centres are registered with the Medical Council of India.
Dkhar said that the reply raises a very important question as to whether these private diagnostic centres are playing with the lives of people as they are running in the state for years.
Stating that the business of pathology labs and diagnostic centres has been flourishing, he added that some clinics here charge huge amounts of money for even small tests.
He said the government must take measures in this regard while adding that medical waste is also a concern and there is no monitoring by the department.
It may be recalled that just a week back, the department published a notice asking all nursing homes, diagnostic centres and private clinics in the state to register with the Meghalaya Nursing Home Licensing and Registration Authority of the DHS (MI) as per Section 3 of the Meghalaya Nursing Home (Licensing and Registration) Act, 1993.
