'No provisions to punish erring private doctors'

 Health and Family Welfare Minister Aravinda Limbavali on Thursday told the Legislative Council that there was no provision in the Karnataka Private Medical Institutes’ Act, 2007, to initiate action against private doctors or dentists if lapses were found.

He was replying to a question by Congress member R V Venkatesh during Zero Hour. Venkatesh raised the issue of innocent lives being lost in the State due to negligence by doctors.

He cited the case of three-year-old Shireesh, who died due to an overdose of anaesthesia that was administered by a private dentist in HSR Layout on February 6.

Limbavali said the said the Act has provision to initiate action against private nursing homes and clinics if they violate the Act or if such institutions were functioning without licence.

No official complaint

“However, the Act doesn’t has a provision to initiate action against doctors including dentists in private institutions. Also, in the Shireesh’s case, no official complaint has been registered with the department. A related police complaint has been registered and action will be initiated against the culprits as per the police investigation,” he said.