The Centre has drafted legislation to tackle violence against doctors, one of the main issues facing India’s healthcare professionals. Under the law, those who commit assault against doctors and other medical workers could face a prison sentence of between three and ten years and fined up to Rs 10 lakh. In addition, healthcare workers can […]
hospitals
More hospitals de-empanelled from Ayushman Bharat
![Ahmedabad, where a number of hospitals have been de-empanelled from Ayushman Bharat. Image credit: ideepakmathur [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]](https://i2.wp.com/www.healthissuesindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/800px-Sunset_in_Ahmedabad.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 "More hospitals de-empanelled from Ayushman Bharat")
More hospitals have been de-empanelled from Ayushman Bharat in Gujarat, bringing to light one of the major issues plaguing the implementation of the government’s flagship healthcare scheme. The state health department “urgently” issued an order barring two hospitals in Rajkot and one in the state capital Ahmedabad from providing services to beneficiaries of both the […]
Delhi government given notice over working conditions of nurses
The Delhi High Court has ordered the national capital government to improve the working conditions of nurses in the state. The Supreme Court had earlier called on the Delhi government to take recommendations on board calling on improvements to be made in the working conditions of nurses in private hospitals in the national capital. A […]
Delhi cracks down on biomedical waste
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has ordered the closure of 32 facilities over improper disposal of biomedical waste – highlighting a major pollution and sanitation issue affecting India. Earlier this year, it was reported that hospitals in Delhi were behind schedule in adhering to the Union Environment Ministry’s guidelines concerning proper management of biomedical […]
Surgeon’s gowns and the spread of C. diff
The reality of hospital-acquired infections is one that is difficult to ignore. New research has spotlighted one particular infection to which hospital visits can expose people. This time, alarm bells are being sounded about Clostridium difficile (also known as C. diff), a bacterium linked to stomach ailments such as diarrhoeal disease and colitis which can […]
Another day, another hospital fire
The outbreak of a fire in a West Delhi hospital yesterday served as a reminder of one of the major issues putting patients’ lives at risk: fire safety lapses. The incident in question, which occurred at the Employees’ State Insurance Model Hospital in Basai Darapur, mercifully was not at the level of past tragedies involving […]
CM Banerjee calls attention to doctor shortage in West Bengal
The shortage of doctors in West Bengal has been highlighted by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a meeting with medicos in the wake of strike action which plagued the state weeks ago. The strikes began following an attack on an intern in Kolkata. Initially a state-level stir, the agitation swiftly became a national movement with […]
Fire safety lapses plague Karnataka’s hospitals
Another instance of fire safety lapses has been highlighted, this time in Karnataka. As a result, authorities are ordering the closure of scores of hospitals across the state. A total of 156 hospitals in the state were issued final notices regarding violations of fire safety regulations. 81 of the hospitals failed to respond to these […]
Water supply crisis hits Chennai’s hospitals
Chennai’s crippled water supply is affecting everyday life in a multitude of ways. Hospitals are no exception to the scourge. The depletion of groundwater and borewell reserves have forced hospitals in the city to foot ever-bigger bills to avail water. To cope, some hospitals have even increased the prices of operations. “A few days ago, […]
Public health infrastructure in Bihar is in the ICU
The recent tragic deaths of over a hundred children in Bihar has put the spotlight on the ailing public health infrastructure – both in the state and in the country. The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Centre and state governments over what it has termed “deplorable public health infrastructure” and reminded […]