Rattled by a hepatitis outbreak blamed on illegal trade in bio-medical waste, the Gujarat government said on Friday it will issue an ordinance to put in place a regulatory mechanism for private medical practitioners, a first in the country.
The ordinance will be introduced within 10-15 days, Health Minister Jaynarayn Vyas told the assembly.
It will will provide for measures shielding the doctors against abuse, assault or misbehaviour by a patient or his relatives, Vyas said.
It will also require medical practitioners to maintain record of patients, contact details, diagnosis and treatment.
The move comes after an investigation into the hepatitis outbreak, which has claimed 49 lives in Sabarkantha district, revealed that some private doctors in Modasa had been negligent.
On Thursday, the health department had unearthed a racket involving reuse of bio-medical waste in Modsa and Ahmedabad. Large quantities of used syringes and other recycled bio-medical waste were found from the godowns that were raided.