Plea In HC For Implementation Of Delhi Health Bill To Regulate Illegal Pathological Labs

A plea has been moved in Delhi High Court seeking urgent implementation of the AAP government's Health Bill, 2019, or the Delhi Clinical Establishment Act, 2010, alleging that unauthorised pathological laboratories were being operated in the national capital without any checks and balances.

The application by consumer rights activist Bejon Kumar Misra has contended that operations of illegal and unauthorised labs would endanger the lives of the people.

Misra, in his plea filed through advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi, has said the high court in 2018 had directed the Delhi government to take appropriate steps in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court to contain illegal and unauthorised labs, but no steps have been taken by the authorities.

The application has alleged that the Delhi government "has not made any efforts towards the regulation of illegal pathological laboratories/diagnostic centres being run illegally, which do not meet the norms and without having qualified pathologists".

It has stated that according to the National Accreditation Board for Laboratories and Calibration (NABL), there are 1,000 diagnostic laboratories, out of which only 10 per cent are NABL accredited.

"Therefore, an immediate and urgent regulation is required to regulate the illegal pathological laboratories/diagnostic centres," it has said.

The application has been filed in a PIL moved by Misra in 2018 seeking closure of the unauthorised pathological labs and diagnostic centres in the national capital. The PIL is listed for hearing on December 14.