Latest news with #ClinicalEstablishmentAct
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Surrogacy-trafficking ring: Health authorities find illegal equipment
HYDERABAD: The Health department on Monday said that a joint investigation was carried out by the Medical & Health Department, police, Task Force, DM&HO, RDO and other officials into the alleged irregularities at Srushti Fertility Centre. Search and seizure operations were conducted on Saturday (July 26), revealing that the clinic's Clinical Establishment Act and PCPNDT registrations had expired. It was also found that the centre was not registered under the National and State ART & Surrogacy Registry. Officials discovered unregistered ultrasound machines, an unlicenced pharmacy, a functional operation theatre with laparoscopic and IVF equipment and recent oocyte retrieval records along with liquid nitrogen tanks. The department said it is strictly enforcing the Assisted Reproductive Technology & Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021. So far, 381 ART clinics/banks, including surrogacy centres, have been registered across Telangana. It urged people to use services only at registered centres, including two ART clinics set up in government medical college hospitals.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Dental Curriculum India: Urgent Overhaul Needed to Align with Modern Practices
A major overhaul of the curriculum will require multi-domain expertise and inputs from education technology experts Rooban Thavarajah India's dental education system is now at a critical point. The last major overhaul to the undergraduate (UG) dental curriculum occurred on July 25, 2007, based on the domain expertise requirements and evaluation (outcome-based assessment) framework of the time. Since then, the field of dentistry, teaching-learning (TL) methodology, and assessment characteristics have evolved rapidly. Over these years, Indian dental classrooms have seen students from the 1990s, the 2000s, and now the Gen Alpha generation. The gap between what is taught and what is needed in real dental practice in India has grown significantly. But the syllabus has failed to include landmark developments in dentistry. Digital dentistry, for example, is increasingly integrated into regular dental practice, becoming a mainstream tool in an average dental practice. Such advances offer greater precision, efficiency and patient comfort. Globally, there is also a fundamental shift from focusing only on treatment to emphasising prevention, behavioural changes and patient education. But the current syllabus still focuses on procedures and diseases. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like My 4-year-old kidneys are failing, only you can help Donate For Health Donate Now Undo Even well-known dental filling materials such as silver amalgam and gold fillings are replaced with composites and glass ionomer cement. Important legal updates, such as changes in the Consumer Protection Act, the Clinical Establishment Act, and new rules /guidelines on infection control and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), have also not been incorporated into the basic structure of the curriculum. This leaves new graduates less prepared for real-world dental practice. The 'COVID-19' batch (the ones who did higher secondary schooling during the pandemic) and subsequent batches were forced to make a rapid shift to online and hybrid learning, opening newer dimensions in TL methodology. Today's undergraduate dental students are digital natives, accustomed to fast access to information, interactive learning, and technology-driven environments. But the curriculum, education framework, and assessment, designed for a pre-digital era by such teachers, fail to engage students effectively or equip them for the realities of modern dental practice. Motor-skill transfer is a crucial part of learning in dentistry. It is at this training-delivery system that dentistry is unique. Studies evaluating multi-dimensional competency-based training for dental students have found such structured skill-transfer modules to be far more effective in imparting practical, real-world skills and knowledge than traditional methods. In India, the National Medical Commission has shifted medical education to a competency-based model. Yet, these innovations wait to be integrated into the dental curriculum. At the evaluation and assessment front, students are graded based on subjective impressions rather than objective competencies. This must be replaced by better options. Additionally, to produce better dentists, entrepreneurial training, financial literacy, and practice management content must be incorporated into the core curriculum. There have been attempts to update the syllabus and TL framework, but with limited success. Regulatory inertia, lack of consensus among stakeholders, and the sheer scale of the system have all contributed to this stagnation. The National Dental Commission Bill 2023, which is yet to come into full force, aims to replace the 75-year-old Dental Council of India (DCI) with a new regulatory body. The new commission promises reforms, including a National Exit Test for licensure and a standardized accreditation system. However, these changes are still in the pipeline and have yet to impact the day-to-day reality of dental education. Also, the Indian student's shift in cognitive domain, attention span and fine motor skills have to be accounted for while updating the curriculum. The societal acceptance and use of edutainment, coaching classes and advanced digital TL aids transformed the entire domain of TL methodologies, none of which are taken generally into account during the curriculum development. The need for an immediate and comprehensive update to India's dental education system is clear and urgent. It must begin with a comprehensive curriculum overhaul based on a multi-dimensional competency-based framework, enabling students to achieve the minimum EPA essential for modern dental practice. To ensure consistent quality, uniform standards and accreditation policies must be established nationwide, supported by robust faculty development programs, adoption of student-centric teaching-learning methodologies, and the implementation of best policy practices. It is imperative to shift away from the traditional time-bound, didactic teaching model toward a competency-based education system that focuses on real-world skills, including the precision and fine motor skill requirements unique to dentistry. Such a shift will prepare graduates to meet contemporary clinical demands and align Indian dental education with global standards. A major overhaul of the curriculum will require multi-domain expertise and inputs from education technology experts. Assessments should be realistic, continuous throughout the year, and cumulative rather than limited to a few exams. Digital tools for assessing knowledge and skills, as well as for maintaining academic records, should be used. The world of dentistry is evolving at a breakneck speed, and the curriculum must keep pace with it. The time for incremental change has passed; what is now needed is a bold and comprehensive curriculum overhaul. Uniform educational standards needed Unlike medical education, where nearly half of all colleges are govt-run, only about one in eight dental colleges in India is govt-run. The rest are private, with most being deemed universities. This has led to several challenges. Govt colleges often have better patient inflow and clinical exposure, while private colleges may focus more on research, innovation and rankings. Hence, striking the right balance between innovation and foundational core competencies for maintaining minimum educational standards across all institutions is the need of the hour. If an imbalance is created, it has the potential of skewing the profession's core ability. Ensuring uniform dental educational standards across such a diverse and predominantly private sector is a big challenge for regulators. Globally, dentistry is moving towards Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), which focus on real-world competencies and essential fine motor skills for dental practice. Time for India to do the same. (The writer is with the department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology/ Microbiology at Ragas Dental College & Hospital in Chennai)
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Pvt hosps, clinics in Bokaro should register by July 3
Bokaro: The district health department directed all private hospitals and nursing homes in the district to register under the Clinical Establishment Act, 2010, by July 3. The move aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and improved quality of healthcare services in the region. Civil surgeon Dr AB Prasad said, "In addition to the registration, it is also compulsory for all private medical establishments to obtain a valid fire safety certificate. Legal action would be taken against those failing to comply by July 3." tnn
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
TN dental council initiates probe after patient deaths
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Dental Council has said it will initiate proceedings against a dentist in Vaniyambadi after The Lancet report linked eight patient deaths in 2023 to neuromyeloidosis, a bacterial brain infection contracted at his clinic in Tirupattur district. The dentist, Dr S Arivarasan, however, said the samples the authors picked may not be an indication of "negligence" or "unhygienic" practices, and there is no ban on him opening new clinics or practising dentistry. On Friday, state dental council executive committee member Dr J Baby John said the council will inquire about the incident. "We have not received any complaints from patients, their attenders, or govt agencies so far. We came to know about this only from the TOI news report. We will initiate an inquiry based on the report," he said. An investigation report by a team of doctors at CMC Vellore, ICMR-NIE, and Tamil Nadu directorate of public health published in the medical journal revealed an unsterile surgical instrument called a periosteal elevator was used to open a saline bottle, which was then loosely sealed and reused for at least 10 people, who all contracted the infection. The authors said the 80% fatality in 2023 may be because the bacteria in the saline travelled directly along nerve pathways when used to clean the patients' mouths during procedures, rather than through the bloodstream. Dr Arivarasan, who was practising in VTS Dental Clinic until Dec 2024, moved into Arivu Dental Clinic in Jan. He continues to practice dentistry in his new clinic, he told TOI. "The VTS clinic was closed for two months in 2023 after an allegation against me by a patient's relative. Samples from my clinic were drawn during this period. I was neither told it was for scientific research, nor were they sharing results with me. I reopened the clinic two months later after the joint director of public health gave me a clean chit. The only feedback I got from the team was a recommendation to use a disposable saline bottle. I do that," he told TOI. "There is no ban on me to practice," he said. Tirupattur joint director of public health Dr V Gnana Meenakshi said she submitted a detailed report to the collector on the action taken against the dentist and the clinic, but refused to reveal further details. Tirupattur collector K Sivasoundaravalli did not respond to calls or messages. Officials in the state DMS, in charge of registering clinics under the Clinical Establishment Act, said they were still gathering details from the district. Meanwhile, the Indian Dental Association has told the council that further investigations were required as researchers drew samples from a clinic that was closed for more than two months. Scientists, including officials from the state directorate of public health, have said that they found the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei in saline samples. "It's not unusual, but we don't know when it was contaminated. There is nothing to prove that this led to the deaths," said IDA state secretary Dr K P Senthamarai Kannan. Vellore: Christian Medical College said the govt health authorities have contained the outbreak of neuromeliodosis with 10 just cases in the state. The CMC in a press release said this reflects on the strong public health system of Tamil Nadu through collaborative efforts with the scientific teams at NIE, Chennai, and CMC Vellore. "There were 21 cases identified through active and passive case searches with the help of district public health authorities. Of 21 cases, 11 were sporadic exposure to surface water and agricultural activities and 10 had undergone dental procedures. The dental clinic in Tirupattur was investigated to identify the source of contamination, and the bacteria were isolated from an in-use daline bottle," said the release. "The outbreak was controlled with 10 cases, immediately after recognition, and no further fatalities were reported. In cases without any history of dental procedures, increased exposure to soil or water in agricultural fields might have led to the development of the disease," said the release
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Exempt small hospitals from CEA: Indian Medical Association to government
Hyderabad: The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Telangana, on Tuesday requested the health department to exempt hospitals with less than 50 beds from the provisions of the Clinical Establishment Act (CEA), rationalise MBBS/PG seats and create more govt posts to end unemployment in the medical fraternity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a letter addressed to the health dept officials, IMA listed these and several other pressing issues faced by the medical community in the state, particularly the private practitioners and small and medium healthcare establishments. According to the IMA members, instances of violence against doctors were on the rise with inadequate legal protection. They requested an amendment to the law by increasing the imprisonment from three years to seven years, making it a non-bailable offence. The IMA also stated that the provisions of the CEA were adversely affecting small hospitals and clinics. They asked for an exemption for hospitals with fewer than 50 beds from CEA regulations, noting that states such as Haryana and Bihar provide such exemptions. According to the IMA, unemployment was prevailing in the medical fraternity due to an increase in medical colleges. They appealed to rationalise the intake of MBBS/PG seats and called for more govt job recruitments to fill the deficit. The association also urged the introduction of a single-window system for hospital registrations, renewals, and licences; exemption for medical establishments from the stay on trade licence enforcement; the formation of a health commission; and the need for legal and physical safety training for doctors and others.
