Private medical establishments in Karnataka must display details on colour-coded boards

Now, all private medical establishments (PMEs) registered under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act must prominently display their name, registration number and the name of the owner or manager on a colour-coded board. 

The colour would indicate the system of medicine practised and the services offered at the establishment. 

A circular issued on Thursday by the Commissioner for Health and Family Welfare D Randeep noted that there were unauthorised establishments offering treatments such as home remedies, hypnotherapy, body massages and traditional medicine that are not classified as medical treatments under section 2(1) of the KPME Act. 

The circular directs district health and family welfare officers to instruct PMEs to install boards on their premises that prominently display their details and meet certain dimensions. 

The health department noted that this circular was issued in an effort to weed out quacks and fake medical establishments and inform the public about the system of medicine followed in the establishment. 

PMEs following the allopathic medical system must fix a board with a sky blue background colour, while those offering Ayurveda must have a light green board. The board must be 7 feet wide and 3 feet tall minimum, with all the information printed on it in black. 

The KPME registration number must be 120 cm wide and 20 cm tall, while the name of the establishment should be at least 180 cm wide and 20 cm tall and the name of the owner should be 120 cm wide and 15 cm tall. All of these details must be according to the KMPE registration certificate. 

Failure to comply with these instructions will invoke statutory action under section 19(5) of the KPME Amendment Act, 2017.