No data available on private clinics

Rawalpindi: None of the concerned government authorities is keeping record of private clinics operating in the district updated nor there is any record of patients visiting general practitioners.

Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has been collecting data of the private clinics operating in the province however, still a number of quacks are operating in almost all localities of the district particularly in low-lying areas and peripheries.

The district health department does not keep any record of the private clinics operating in the district and it has no authority to seal set-up of even a quack until and unless it is notified by the district administration, said Chief Executive Officer Health Dr. Sohail Ahmed while talking to ‘The News’ on Friday.

He added that district health department’s deputy district health officers and drug inspectors on getting information about a set-up of quack can challan the person busy in quackery and issue a warning for closing down the business but they are not authorised to seal the set up without notification from the district administration.

The officials of the health department can visit a private clinic to check its credentials on getting any complaint from any source including media or general public but the sealing authority lies with the Punjab Healthcare Commission, he said.

It is important that PHC is an autonomous health regulatory body established under the PHC Act 2010 with the aim of improving quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare service delivery for all public and private healthcare facilities across the Punjab province. Before the establishment of PHC, the district health departments were responsible for inspecting private clinics and checking credentials of general practitioners.

Responding to a query, Dr. Sohail admitted that there have been a number of quacks operating in almost all vicinities of the district however, making them unable to operate would take time.

The district health department has a number of tasks from running campaigns under Expanded Programme on Immunisation to carrying out activities in the field for prevention of infectious diseases like dengue fever, he said.

He said a doctor registered with Pakistan Medical & Dental Council, homoeopath registered with National Council for Homoeopathy, a ‘tabib’ registered with National Council for Tibb and a nurse, midwife or lady health visitor registered with Pakistan Nursing Council is eligible for general practice and can operate a private clinic. On inspection, the general practitioner has to produce the registration before the inspection team, he added.

To a query, he said the Punjab Healthcare Commission when seals a private clinic, it can only be reopened after producing registration of the general practitioner operating the clinic before the PHC.

Data collected by ‘The News’ also reveals that there has not been any system to keep data of patients visiting private clinics updated and none of the general practitioners keep record of patients visiting their set ups.

Deputy Director Inspection at PHC Brigadier (r) Dr. Mubbashir when contacted by ‘The News’ on Friday said the licensing department of the PHC issues licenses to general practitioners for operating in the province.