Bhagalpur: Acting on complaints over the rampant mushrooming of unlicensed and unhygienic private clinics and nursing homes in Bhagalpur district, the health department, in coordination with district officials, imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on six establishments for operating without valid licences and violating provisions of the Bihar Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act.Civil surgeon (CS) Dr Ashok Prasad on Thursday said that five of the penalised clinics and nursing homes are located in Naugachia, while one is in Bhagalpur city. “The crackdown was launched a week ago following complaints that several establishments were registered under the Ayurvedic and Unani systems but were treating patients with allopathic medicines, allegedly by non-MBBS doctors,” he said.Prasad further said that in-charges of primary health centres (PHCs) under the Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur and Naugachia subdivisions have been directed to verify similar complaints regarding the mushrooming of private clinics and healthcare facilities flouting prescribed norms, especially where specific allegations have been received. The department had also received complaints from local residents in some areas about deliveries of newborns being conducted without gynaecologists or qualified medical experts, the CS added.Earlier, district magistrate Nawal Kishor Chaudhary had instructed the civil surgeon to take stringent action against private clinics, nursing homes, pathology and X-ray centres found violating standard practices and provisions of the Bihar Clinical Establishments Act.The CS further said, “The Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, along with subsequent amendments, were being ignored at all the penalised clinics and nursing homes. Basic norms were violated at most places, and serious lapses were detected, including the absence of qualified medical experts and trained staff. In many cases, even mandatory signboards were missing.”A health department official said that although the Bihar government, under the amended Act of 2025, has decided to exempt mandatory registration for healthcare facilities with 1 to 40 beds, the operation of private clinics and health centres continues to be governed by the Bihar Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, amended in Feb 2025. The Act mandates compliance with minimum standards related to infrastructure, fire safety, qualified staff, operational and ethical practices, display of signboards, and procurement of a no-objection certificate from the Bihar State Pollution Control Board.Facilities are also required to obtain biomedical waste management authorisation, trade or professional licences, pharmacy licences, and approval from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for radiology services such as X-rays and CT scans.
