Unlicensed private haemodialysis centres to ace legal action — DG

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KUALA LUMPUR: Legal action will be taken beginning April next year against private haemodialysis centres operating without licence , said the director-general of Health Services, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican.

He said until Nov 1, only 34 per cent or 170 out of the 502 applications for operating a private haemodialysis centre had been approved by the ministry.

Many of the centres applying for the licence were found not to have the requirement, such as  failure to provide adequate number of nursing staff or experienced assistant medical officers, he said in a press statement, here yesterday.

Dr Mohd Ismail said that in addition, the centres had also failed to carry out optimum maintenance of the haemodialysis equipment.

“The infrastructure of the dialysis centre also need to be in accordance with the approved floor plan based on the regulatory requirements, particularly involving the non-hepatitis and hepatitis patients to prevent cross infection,” he said.

“These centres are also unable to provide the supporting documents such as the Fire Certificate and Certificate of Fitness of the building from the relevant authorities,” he added.

He said any query on the regulations for the haemodialysis centre could be referred to the Private Medical Practice Control Branch, Medical Practice Division, Ministry of Health via telephone numbers 03-8883 1271/1272/1206 or e-mail to [email protected].— Bernama