Question : Reuse of Disposable Items by Private Hospitals

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken note of the fact that private hospitals including those empanelled under CGHS reuse disposables to earn profit at the cost of public health, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether such items are sterilised after one procedure and reused and the patients are charged full amount of it;

(c) if so, whether the Union Government has issued warning against reuse of disposable surgical items, particularly in cardiology, when they are meant for one-time use, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether all disposable items bear instructions on the packaging that it should be used only once and cannot be reused after sterilisation, if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether Cath lab technicians and dealers who sell disposables and stents to hospitals have also confirmed that such reuse was common; and

(f) if so, the action taken by the Government against the defaulters?

Answer given by the minister

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (f): As per Constitutional provisions, ‘Health’ is a State subject and such issues would generally be addressed to the State/Union Territory concerned for taking appropriate action as per the provisions of Act and Rules applicable in the concerned State/UT. Data regarding complaints received by States and action taken by the States is not maintained centrally. Taking action to prevent and control such practices is within the remit of State Government.

The Government of India has enacted the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 and notified Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012 for registration of Clinical Establishments with a view to prescribe the Minimum Standards of facilities and services provided by them. Under the said Act, the National Council for clinical establishments has approved Minimum Standards for different levels of Hospitals. These minimum standards inter-alia provide that the hospitals should have adequate drugs, medical devices and consumables commensurate to the scope of services and number of beds. These standards further provide that the quality of drugs, medical devices and consumables shall be ensured. The Hospitals are also required to follow standard precautions like practicing hand hygiene, use of personal infection equipment etc. and infection control practices including compliance to Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules to reduce high risk of healthcare associated infection. Currently, the Act has been adopted by 11 States namely, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, U.P, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Assam and Haryana and all Union Territories except Delhi. The implementation and enforcement of the said Act falls within the ambit of the States/Union territories.


Further, Central Government has published Medical Devices Rules 2017 effective from 01.01.2018. As per the said rules, Medical Device intended to be used for single use should be labeled appropriately.

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