Healthcare commission seals 768 health

The Sindh HealthCare Commission (SHCC) sealed 768 healthcare establishments during the first quarter of 2022 over law violations and malpractices.

According to a statement issued by the commission, a total of 2,564 inspections and enforcement visits were made by anti-quackery teams of the SHCC and during those visits, 495 healthcare establishments were found complying with the law and 1,581 found violating the law.

Taking action over the law violations, the SHCC sealed 768 healthcare establishments and 813 warnings were issued over malpractice and policy violations.

Additionally, 430 follow-up inspections were also conducted to ensure compliance of the relevant law, read the statement.

Fines were also imposed on health practitioners who were non-qualified or working beyond the scope of the law. Total penalties amounting to Rs4.8 million were imposed on multiple offenders during the quarter.

Reports compiled by the SHCC Directorate of Anti-Quackery indicated a surge of illegal clinics since January 2022 across the province, creating an urgent need identifying illegal clinics propping up in heavily populated areas.

According to SHCC Anti-Quackery Director Zeeshan Shah, the commission had achieved a growth momentum of 47 per cent in the quarter.

The statement read that teams of the commission had been working round the clock with law enforcement agencies for the welfare of healthcare practitioners.

Last month, a statement had said that the SHCC had imposed Rs2.3 million in fines on quacks and health care establishments across the province.

The 11th meeting of directorate of anti-quackery committee was convened by Dr Khalid Hussain Shaikh at the SHCC office, it had said.

As many as 57 cases of quackery were reviewed for fines to be imposed in all over the province, out of which penalties were imposed on 51 health care establishments.

Chaired by convener of the anti-quackery committee, Dr Khalid H. Shaikh, and attended by commissioners Dr A Razaque Shaikh and Jawad Amin Khan, along with CEO of SHCC Dr Ahson Qavi Siddiqui and director of anti-quackery Syed Zeeshan Ali Shah along with team members, the meeting took the decision that higher vigilance would be taken to ensure collection of more solid evidence against health care establishments violating the law.

The anti-quackery director briefed the participants on the measures being taken to enlist a team of external legal experts across Sindh to assist the commission in litigation cases. The CEO of the commission proposed that evaluation of past FIRs was conducted.