NQAS norms violated, say insiders; TN denies

CHENNAI: The National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) have been developed by the Union Health Ministry to maintain public health facilities and implement best medical facilities in District Hospitals, Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres and Urban Primary Health Centres.

The certified healthcare facilities are decided based on the criteria of service provision, patient rights, inputs, support services, clinical care, infection control, quality management and outcome.

Since certified hospitals are provided with financial incentives as recognition of good work, the State department authorities exchange basic machinery and equipment from other hospitals before the visit of the Union Health Ministry team. Workers at hospitals say that these practices are followed to get funding and certificates.

The hospital is evaluated based on facilities, maintenance and services of emergency, out-patient department, operation theatre, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, labour room, auxiliary, and blood storage unit. “As per the norms, a hospital should have a checklist of its own equipment to gain the certification.

If it doesn’t, for the duration of the Union Government officials’ visit to the hospital, some of the equipment is rented from outside and presented as their own,” said a retired administrative officer from a government hospital in Madurai. “The hospital prepares itself based on the checklist already declared by NQAS as per the infrastructure and equipment requirement.”

The officer added that the assessment helps in increasing the credibility of the hospital. Plus, the National Health Mission grants additional funds for the upliftment of the hospital’s infrastructure.

“Since the details on the assessment are already known, the equipment is exchanged or rented based on the visit timings and dates. This is again returned to the original facility after the inspection,” explained the officer.

The team from the Union Health Ministry assesses various departments of the hospital on various aspects like infection control practices, patient feedback, patient’s rights, clinical services, maternal and child health services, quality management and patient care. “Every Taluk hospital wants to be upgraded with additional infrastructure and equipment, especially in the rural parts of Tamil Nadu because of lesser number of private hospitals here. NQAS certification from the Union Health Ministry helps with the overall development of the hospital,” pointed out a nurse at the Illuppur GH in Pudukkottai.

However, officials from the National Health Mission say that there were multiple checks before the certification. “To ensure that certification is granted, the State Health Department Officials also conduct a check at the hospital,” they said.

Meanwhile, Shilpa Prabhakar, MD-National Health Mission, denied any such practices and said that the State Health Department allocates funds to the potential hospitals to meet the infrastructure and equipment demands for the NQAS certification. “Irregularities in such cases are not possible because local officials monitor the assessment procedure but if any specific cases are reported, the department will take action,” she clarified.