Erring diagnostic labs in Delhi removed from govt panels

Names of diagnostic centres in the national capital allegedly found involved in malpractices during a sting operation have been struck off from various government panels till the completion of probe, government informed the Lok Sabha today.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said certain government facilities being extended to the centres also stand withdrawn till the probe into the sting operation being conducted by the Medical Council of India is over.
He said a separate four-member committee headed by a Special DG will look into the matter at the government level and submit its report within six weeks. It will also recommend ways to check such malpractices and suggest transparency.

The Health Minister was responding to supplementaries on a sting operation by a private TV channel which exposed some doctors collecting 30-50 per cent commissions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT scans, ultra sound, routine pathological tests.
He said an "oversight mechanism" was required to keep a tab on the medical profession but ruled out another regulatory mechanism as several such systems were already in place.
The Minister said government is working towards ensuring that health centres have 50 essential medicines which can take care of 95 per cent of ailments.
Under the National Health Mission, diagnostic facilities will be provided for expecting mothers and the elderly.

He said though private practitioners cannot be forced to work for free, efforts were on to make private gynecologists to associate with government schemes to encourage 'safe motherhood'.