KARACHI, Feb 2: Two major medical concerns have said that the government should hold more debates and evolve a consensus prior to promulgation of the private hospital regulation and control ordinance.

At a press conference held on Friday, the general secretaries of Pakistan Medical Association and College of Family Medicines, Dr S.M. Qaiser Sajjad and Dr Aziz Khan Tank respectively, said the government’s efforts to discipline hospitals and clinics in the private sector through an ordinance was unlikely to achieve results.

They said: “We are greatly concerned over a dubious revised draft ordinance approved by the chief minister as regards the regulation and control on private health and diagnostic establishments in Sindh.”

It would be more appropriate if the government opted for strong legislation on the subject, instead of relying on an ordinance.

The two doctors said their respective institutions were not against the standardised regulations in question, but were apprehensive things were being done in haste, ignoring the genuine stakeholders, which they feared would ultimately open the doors for corruption.

Dr Sajjad said that the PMA, College of Family Medicine, and other centres had not been included in any consensus evolving exercise which was inappropriate.

He urged the government to come up with effective and foolproof measures against all sorts of quack practices.

He said quackery was the major cause of the health system’s failure in the country.

He warned that those who were included as members of the proposed regulatory and accreditation authority of Sindh would not be able to resist the vested interests and demanded that the government frame rules with the consultation of all stake holders.

Dr Tank was of the impression that charitable healthcare centres and hospitals attached with teaching hospitals would escape the proposed regulation.