CHENNAI: Around 8,000 hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic laboratories have applied to the Health Department for licences under the Clinical Establishments Act. In March 2018, a legislation framed by the state made it mandatory for all clinical establishments, including hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries, consulting rooms, clinics and polyclinics, whether public or private, to register with the government. The rules were notified in June.

A software has been developed by the Directorate of Medical Services to register all hospitals under a centralized process. The deadline for applications ends on March 31.

Director of Medical Services, Dr N Rukmani, said that the department has trained staff at the district level to upload data into the software. The establishments will be inspected by the district health officials to ensure that they fulfil the infrastructure and human resources requirements. They will be given a licence for 5 years if they qualify.

The new rules are going to standardize the establishments that serve in allopathic or Indian medicine streams. They describe the requirements for floor space, waiting area, safe drinking water supply, and toilet, for all clinical establishments to be registered.

The Indian Medical Association has welcomed the move; however, the paramedical, laboratory education and welfare associations have requested for relaxations in the norms. DASE General Secretary, Dr GR Ravindranath, said that many of them have not applied yet as they may not be able to fulfil the requirements.

His association estimates that nearly 20,000 laboratories will be shut down and more than 50,000 technicians may lose jobs over the next few months if the regulations are enforced.

The rules state that clinical laboratories in rural areas should have at least 500 sq ft for sample collection, first aid, processing and report presentation. The space should be 700 to 1500 sq ft in urban areas. The lab must also ensure that adequate space is reserved for reception, sample collection, isolation of bio-hazard, radioisotope-related work as per Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) rules. The rules also define minimum qualification for the staff.