HC raps Delhi govt, calls principle secy of Health dept over lack of steps to regulate illegal labs

The Delhi High Court ticked off the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital Friday for not taking any steps to regulate the pathological laboratories and clinics in the city and asked the principal secretary of the Health department to be present before it on the next date.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said when the Supreme Court had made it clear that only post-graduate degree holders in pathology could sign medical test reports, it should have been implemented by now.

It added that instead, the Delhi government was only issuing letters to its chief district medical officers (CDMOs) to find out the locations of the illegal laboratories.

The Delhi government's additional standing counsel, Sanjoy Ghose, who appeared in the matter for the Health department, said apart from asking the CDMOs to map the locations of all the pathological laboratories and clinics in their area, public notices were also issued, asking such establishments to get accredited within six months.

He added that the Clinical Establishments Bill, for regulating laboratories and clinics, was in the final stages of finalisation and was presently before the Law department for vetting.

The bench, however, was not satisfied with the submission and said, "Except a letter being issued, nothing has happened. We are not satisfied. Once there is a Supreme Court judgment laying down what should be done, you should implement that."
Misra, in his plea, has said, "Such illegal labs continue to mushroom in and around Delhi-NCT and it can be easily estimated that the total number of such illegal pathological and diagnostic labs can be anywhere between 20,000 and 25,000, and every street in the capital has such illegal pathological labs."