Hyderabad – The Telangana chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) is calling on the state government to remove small clinics and hospitals with fewer than 50 beds from the Clinical Establishment Act (CEA), just like Haryana and Bihar have done.
Dr. D Dwarakanatha Reddy, President of IMA Telangana, sent an official letter to Health Secretary Dr. Christina Chongtu, outlining the association’s key demands. He said the current rules under the CEA are making it hard for small hospitals and clinics to function smoothly.
The IMA believes that exempting smaller facilities from the Act would reduce unnecessary pressure and help them operate more efficiently. They are urging Telangana to follow the examples set by Haryana and Bihar, where such exemptions are already in place.
One of the most serious concerns raised by the IMA is the growing number of attacks on doctors. Dr. Reddy pointed out that the current legal protections for healthcare workers are too weak. The IMA wants stricter laws, including increasing the jail term for attacking doctors from 3 years to 7 years and making such offenses non-bailable. They also asked for immediate registration of FIRs after a preliminary expert review in these cases.
The IMA also highlighted the problem of red tape. Dr. Reddy called for a single-window system to handle all hospital-related clearances—such as registrations, renewals, and licenses—to stop repeated harassment from various departments like Fire Services, GHMC, and Pollution Control Board.
Another major concern is the large number of unqualified practitioners, or quacks, operating across the state. The IMA estimates over 10 lakh such individuals are treating patients without proper qualifications, posing a serious risk to public health.
To tackle this, the IMA urged the government to strictly enforce Sections 34 and 54 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act. They also recommended setting up Anti-Quackery Committees in every district under the supervision of TSMC and IMA. The association wants the government to make it mandatory for anyone prescribing allopathic medicine to show proof of an MBBS or postgraduate medical degree.
The IMA hopes the Telangana government will act quickly to protect both healthcare institutions and the public.
