AERB orders closure of X-ray facilities of 5 health centres

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has ordered shutting down of X-ray facilities of three private hospitals and two diagnostic centres owing to non-compliance of requisities specified by the authority.
The Board has ordered five medical institutions including Pt Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital, Healthcare Diagnostic Lab, Metro Care Diagnostic Centre, Millennium Life Line Hospital, and New Millennium Multi-speciality Hospital to shut down its X-ray facilities as they failed to comply with the requisities specified by the authority.
"During a surprise inspection conducted on April 16, the AERB has found the following X-ray facilities in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai operating in contravention of the of Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004 and has sealed their facilities till further orders," the Board said in a statement.

It further said, "Though all these facilities are having low potential radiology risks, they have been found not having the requisite registration from AERB. These facilities are also found to be not conforming to some of the requirements specified by AERB."
As per the provisions of the Rules, operating an X-ray equipment without obtaining a registration from AERB amounts to contravention of the rule, it said.
The authority has also issued warnings to six other institutions against operating of X-ray equipment without requisite AERB registration.

"AERB has asked them to comply with the requirements within 30 days and failing which, the X-ray equipment at these institutions shall be sealed indefinitely," it said.

The authority has issued notices to two municipal hospitals, including Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and Hospital in Sion and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Hospital in Vashi.
The other institutions include Neway Hospital, Health Spring and Insight CBCT in Navi Mumbai and Dr V T Shah Diagnostic Centre and Clinic in Mumbai.