The Presidential Address
at the 26th State Annual Conference of Q P M P A, Kerala
On 7 May, 2000 at North Paravur Hon'ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri V. C. Kabeer, Hon'be Minister for Electricity Shri S. Sharma, local M. L. A. Shri P. Raju,
other dignitaries on and off the dais, members of the mass media, invited guests, ladies and fellow members in the profession; your State President in the form of Dr. O. Baby offer you Good morning and welcome to the Millennium Conference of the QPMPA, Kerala. Before proceeding, I bow my head to late Dr. C. V. Srinivasan,
a leader from whom we have been expecting a lot and his untimely demise is a great loss to the QPMPA. So also we lost one of our past Presidents Dr. K. K. Abraham this year. May their souls rest in peace and I pray to Almighty God to shower His blessings on to the bereaved families to get the mental courage to overcome the loss. The QPMPA is an association of Modern
Medicine Doctors and Hospitals in Private Sector. As on today our membership strength is about 1500, out of which about 350 are hospitals. Non-hospital members are mainly clinic or hospital owners. So we, the QPMPA, represent a major portion of the Private Health Care System in our State. Till recently our State Government and Government officials were ignoring the importance of this Private Sector. To quote an example, in 1991 the then Health Secretary in his report to the 'Committee
on Private Bills and Resolutions of Kerala Assembly' stated that only 10% of the State population depended on Private Health Care System. On the other hand, the survey conducted by the State Government as well as the Sasthra Sahitya Parishath in 1987 & 88 proved the following facts: Govt. Sector Private Sector
Hospitals 1066 3565
Doctors 3514 6345
Beds 36479 9030 Actual figures about the Private Sector are much higher than these. According to our present Chief Minister Shri E. K. Nayanar, there are 4288 Modern Medicine Hospitals in Private Sector in 1999. As per the
Survey conducted in 1996 by the KSSP, 63.4% of the state population gets treatment from the Private Sector whereas only 31.24% of the population gets their treatment from the Government Sector. All these statistics show that the Private Health Care System in Kerala has been the backbone for all the success the Government as well as the Health departments is claiming to have achieved.
But this was not recognised and not encouraged in the past — on the other hand we were demoralised and discouraged. I take this opportunity to request the Ministers, bureaucrats, various department officials, politicians, mass media personnel, social workers and lastly but not the least, the public, to help and encourage the Private doctors and hospitals and not to harass and strangulate them to death which shall endanger the whole Health Care System in the State. Our main problems I take this opportunity to tell you all a simple truth or a fact, that the QPMPA is the only organisation in this country fighting for the benefit of the unorganised section, that is the public. The issues and problems we are fighting
are only to reduce the cost of the medical treatment. It is very easy for the hospitals and hospital owners to transfer the financial burden incurred by the interference of the various government departments, to the patients . But we, the QPMPA, do not want to impose or indirectly transfer the burden to the people and that is why we are trying to solve the various issues and problems. We can be proud of the fact that the QPMPA is the only association fighting against the plunder of the
public by the organised groups. (1) Drugs Licence Issue The Drugs and Cosmetics Act was enacted in 1940 and the concerned Rules were passed in 1945. After 45 years, on achieving a lot in health care delivery System, our state Government wanted to regulate the private hospitals with drugs licence. Why is the Government so much anxious to implement the Drugs Licence to private Hospitals in Kerala, whereas it is not implemented in any other State in India? Is it a penalty for the Private Sector for helping the Government to achieve international Health Parameters?
Against this we have approached the High Court in 1990 and we got a stay and at that time the Government was willing to give exemption. But unluckily we could not get the same in writing as an order. So again in 1995 we had to approach the High Court and the decision of the High Court in 1999 was to implement the Drugs Licence to Private Hospitals. Against this we have now approached the Supreme Court of India and we got a Stay for the time being. We have to fight for a permanent solution for this. I request the Hon'ble Health Minister to consider this matter and take a favourable decision.
(2) The Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Act issue The permanent exemption enjoyed by the Private Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Clinics was taken away by a G. O. in 1994. So we had to approach the High Court and we got a Stay which
still continues. In the meantime this Government has reinstated the exemption for two years from 7th August 1998 to 6th August 2000. Now the Labour Minister and the other officials are not willing to extent the exemption, because according to them the Trade Union leaders are against it. It shows that if the union is strong anything can be achieved or prevented in this country. It is a very sad state of affairs in a democratic country. At this juncture,
I request the Hon'be Health Minister to take the initiative to extent the exemption permanently. (3) The Poison Licence Issue The Drugs Control Department says that, to stock chemicals like Benedict's Solution which is used to test the
urine sugar, the Private Hospitals have to take Poison Licence. It is a known fact that any variety or amount of poison is available from any shop in the market which are stored and sold without any Poison Licence. So, to insist the Private Hospitals to take Poison Licence to stock chemicals used for diagnostic purposes, is something which we cannot understand. We hope that the Government will take a reasonable stand in this issue. (4) Licence under Dangerous and Offensive Trades and Factories Rules Now the Panchayats and Municipalities say that the Private Hospitals are dangerous and offensive to the public and so we have to obtain a Licence under the dangerous and Offensive Trades and Factories Rules in addition to the Registration under the local bodies. If Private Hospitals are dangerous and offensive to the public, then what are the institutions which are not dangerous and offensive? We, the members of the QPMPA request the Hon'be Health Minister to go into this matter and save us from this double taxation and regulation i.e.., the registration and the Licencing. There are many other problems like Sales Tax issue, attack on Private Hospitals and Doctors, Pollution Control issue, Blood Transfusion problems, etc., which disturb the existence of the small and medium size hospitals. Achievements during this year
Major achievements during this year are: (1) Substantial increase in the Membership. (2) Obtaining a Stay from the Supreme Court of India in the Drugs Licence Case.
(3) Getting the financial aid from the Kerala State AIDS Control Society for conducting Training Programmes for the Paramedical Staff in Private Sector. As on 31st March 2000, within 4 months we have successfully conducted 46 programmes, and, (4) We were able to purchase a building of our own at Ernakulam for our Head Office.
Our future objectives (1) To implement an Accredition Council, which shall be a Self Regulatory Body to regulate us for the quality control as well as to implement Minimum standards for Clinics & Hospitals. (2) To form Voluntary Faculties at the State level and District levels to conduct regular CME Programmes and to give P. G. level training for Junior Doctors to appear for Dip NB and Foreign Degrees. (3) 100% Membership of the Private Clinics, Hospitals and Doctors in QPMPA, and (4) To develop the QPMPA website to help our members as well as the public in all ways. This website shall be called qpmpa.com and it is going to be inaugurated today. Appeals to the Government (1) To give subsidy for Electricity and Water supply. (2) To give subsidy for installing solar water heaters & incinerators.
(3) To implement welfare schemes for Private Practitioners. (4) To involve the QPMPA representatives also in the decision making bodies of the State Health Departments. (5) To safeguard the Private Hospitals and Doctors from public attacks, harassments and damages. For this District level Committee consisting of Dist. Collector, S. P., D.M.O and QPMPA representatives shall be constituted to study and to take necessary preventive measures. (6) To give permission for more Nursing schools and Laboratory Courses in Private Sector.
(7) To encourage the small and medium size hospitals which cater to the poor section of the people. During the past 10 years the number of small and medium size hospitals have not increased but reduced because of the financial loss as well as the difficulties faced by them.
I find no words to appreciate the work done by the members of the N. Paravur Branch for making this conference a grand success. You may be aware of the fact that there is a unique place here in N. Paravur called Kottayil Kovilakom where the Hindu Temple, Christian Church, Muslim Mosque and Jew Synagogue are situated at the same place face to face. This tradition of relationship might have given the example to the members of this branch to work together so closely. So also
the place where the KSRTC Bus stand is situated now was the place where many battles had taken place between the Samoothiries of Malabar and the Maharajas of Travancore. This history might have given the inspiration to our members here to take up the challenge of hosting this Annual Conference and to do it in a magnificent way. On behalf of the QPMPA, I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to all members of N. Paravur Branch especially to Dr. Venketeswaran, Dr. N. Madhu and Dr. Sreevilasan.
Our Journal has attained very high standards so that they are kept as reference Journals by many. I appreciate and congratulate Dr. V. K. Radhakrishnan, the Journal Editor and Dr. K. Kishore Kumar, the Journal Secretary for their excellent work. Our insurance Scheme,
Medical Accidents Prevention Society (MAPS) is functioning very well, for which I congratulate Dr. A. K. Sabhapathy, Dr. B. V. Bhat and Dr. Jose Mathew. This year we were able to purchase a building of our own at Ernakulam to have our permanent Head Office. The whole credit goes to Dr. W. B. Mathews, the Building Committee Chairman. On behalf of the QPMPA I extend my sincere
gratitude to Dr. W. B. Mathews. I extend my thanks and gratitude from the depth of my heart to Dr. B. V. Bhat, State Secretary and Dr. N. Jayanth, State Treasurer for their unlimited cooperation and support. I will be failing in my duty if I am not extending my thanks and
gratitude to Dr. Samuel Krishnamurthy, Dr. A. K. Sabhapathy and Dr. B. S. Rao for their timely advises and guidance. I extend heartfelt thanks to Dr. K. Saratchandran and Dr. P. K. Radhakrishna Pillai (State Vice Presidents) Dr. K. Sasidharan , Dr. P. K. Balakrishnan and Dr. Sr. Mary Marcellus (State Jt. Secretaries) for their active involvement in the activities of the QPMPA. I am extremely thankful to our
patron Dr. T. M. Paul who have moulded me to this position. This year we got very good support from the Christian Mission Hospitals in the Drugs Licence Case and all of them have joined as members of the QPMPA. I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to all Mission Hospitals who have cooperated. Lastly but not the least I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to all
the State Office bearers, local branch office bearers and other members of the QPMPA for their cooperation and support. Finally I thank each one of you for your blessings, cooperation, encouragement, guidance and support. Thank you all,
Jai QPMPA & Jai Hind. State President | 
