More opt for private sector healthcare
Amended Act to be patient friendly:
Sanjeevi Jayasuriya
With the high disposable income more people have switched to private
sector healthcare treatments. It is expected that 50 percent of the
patients will seek private sector medical treatment in future.
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A modern lab of the private sector |
The Private Healthcare Institution Registration Act No 21 of 2006
will be amended shortly.
“It was necessary to amend the Act to accommodate certain needs of
the healthcare industry which were not addressed in the present
regulatory framework”.
“With the proposed amendments the Act will cover aspects of vital
importance to patients seeking private healthcare facilities,” a Senior
Health Ministry official told Daily News Business.
“It is estimated that 50 percent of the patients seek medical
treatment from private sector institutions. There is a shift in the
number of patients seeking treatment from the Government sector to
private sector as the level of disposable income has risen over the
years,” he said.
The Government is making efforts to ensure that the private sector
provides quality healthcare at a reasonable price.
It will also take measures to increase the level of confidence on the
private sector treatment process.
There are many complaints that irregularities are taking place in the
sector and the amendments to the Act will address these issues while
minimising the disadvantages to patients.
The amendments will strengthen the powers given to the Director
General Health Services and the Deputy Director General Laboratory
Services.
A committee has been appointed to finalize the amendment process with
plans to complete the task shortly, the Official said. |
