|
|
|
|
| National |
| Medical Council shuts clinics |
|
by
Henry Chilobwe, 04 May 2005
-
16:07:45
|
The Medical Council of Malawi has closed down 17 clinics that were either operating illegally or failing to uphold hygienic standards in the country.
The council has also said it will intensify spot checks on clinics to ensure that they are operating in accordance with the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act.
The council closed eight clinics in the Central Region, two in the South and seven others in the Northern Region between November 2004 and March 2005.
Registrar of the council Rex Moyo said most of the closed clinics did not observe minimum requirements.
A person has to be medical practitioner registered with the council and apply for a licence before opening up a clinic, said Moyo.
“We have closed the clinics because they were operating illegally. Some were being run by people who are not medical experts while those run by medical practitioners had no licence.
“It is sad that some people just open clinics like a grocery shop. Health and medicine are a very important area that needs to be taken seriously and if we relax like that then we are putting people’s lives in danger,” said Moyo.
He noted that there is an increase in the number of clinics being opened in the country saying most people who have no medical expertise take clinics as any other business without taking legal and ethical complications into consideration.
He warned that the council will “sweep the country clean of all illegal clinics that are a threat to people’s lives and reduce the boom in clinics so that people get standard medical services.”
He said the council dragged to court the proprietors of the clinics that have been closed down and some were either arrested, fined or warned depending on the gravity of the offence. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
