Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Annexure 8
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Western Region Public Hearing on Right to Health Care,
29 July 2004, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Recommendations from the Public Hearing
Legal Measures
● Enactment of a State Public Health Act in each state, which would outline the mandatory
health care services which must be made available to the people as a right at various levels
of the public health system. This act would specify which services and standards of care
must be made available at the community, sub-centre, PHC, CHC, Sub-district and District
hospital levels, as well as the preventive and promotive measures that the government
would undertake.
●
Enactment of a Clinical Establishments Regulation Act in each state to ensure minimum
standards, adherence to standard treatment guidelines and ceilings for costs of essential
medical services in the private sector. For example, the Bombay Nursing Home Regulation
Act 1949 - Maharashtra, may be substantially modified and improved to effectively regulate
the quality of private medical services in the state.
●
Private practice presently allowed to Government health care providers should be legally
banned, and those doing it should be promptly punished.
Independent Social Monitoring and Redressal System
● Preparing lists of specific services and supplies that would be guaranteed at all levels of the
public health system; wide dissemination and public display of these lists in all relevant
facilities.
●
A system of regular independent monitoring of the functioning of the health care system at
all levels – encompassing state, district, city / town, block and community levels.
Representatives of state level health sector coalitions, social organizations involved in
health-work along with representations from the beneficiary population, in
conjunction with relevant health officials, should be entrusted with this independent
monitoring.
●
An effective redressal mechanism at block, district and state levels for persons with
complaints regarding quality of health care, or those who have suffered denial in any form.
This mechanism should be transparent, should involve health sector coalitions and social
organizations, and should be independently reviewed on a periodic basis. A department or
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