Hospitals told to comply with Amal Umer Act

Healthcare commission warns of legal action in case of their failure to do so

The Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) issued notices to hospitals on Monday, directing them to ensure implementation of the Sindh Injured Persons Compulsory Medical Treatment Act (Amal Umer Act), 2019, and provide medical treatment to injured persons on priority basis.

SHCC acting CEO Syed Baqir Raza Rizvi has directed all health facilities to ensure that the Amal Umer law is enacted, especially Clauses 3, 3(1) and 2, pertaining to an injured person be given treatment immediately without delay. Stating that it would be the duty of the hospital to provide compulsory medical treatment, he warned they would face legal consequences for failing to adhere to the law.

The SHCC directorate of licensing and accreditation also issued letters to 210 hospitals in this regard.

In October, following an apparent gas explosion at a residential building near Maskan Chowrangi, families of victims accused the administration of a private hospital of asking for advance payment for treatment, in violation of the Amal Umer Act. They claimed the hospital management had delayed the provision of treatment.

However, the Sindh government later issued a notification stating it would bear the expenses of treatment. Meanwhile, the hospital in question issued a denial of the families’ claims, insisting it had not asked for payment before providing medical aid.

Meanwhile, the SHCC’s directorate of clinical governance and training organised a training conference for ‘hakeems’ which was attended by 68 hakeems from Karachi. The attendants were trained on the minimum service delivery standards.

Separately, 64 clinics in Karachi and 3,684 in the rest of the province were sealed in the past week by the SHCC’s directorate of anti-quackery. Besides, warning letters were issued to 2,074 clinics and 7,374 clinics were inspected.

As many as 45 new health facilities were also issued registration certificates. A total of 9,865 hospitals and clinics are registered under the SHCC.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2020.