PESHAWAR – A new controversy has surfaced in the health sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital, Peshawar, where the Department of Industries and Consumer Protection has begun issuing notices and imposing fines on private clinics.The move has sparked strong protests from clinic owners, who question the legal basis of such actions.
According to the protesting clinic owners, the primary function of the Consumer Protection Department is to safeguard consumers’ rights, not to regulate or penalize healthcare facilities.They argued that the authority to issue notices and impose fines on clinics rests solely with the Health Department, the Health Care Commission (HCC), or the Health Regulatory Authority.
The clinic owners further stated that the Health Care Commission has been performing effectively and that the public is largely satisfied with its work.They credited the commission for successfully eliminating quack doctors from Peshawar through continuous and strict action over the past several years.
They demanded that the Health Care Commission clarify under which law the Department of Industries and Consumer Protection is taking action against private clinics, and which institution is legally responsible for such regulatory measures. The clinic owners also urged the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the HCC to seek an explanation from the Consumer Protection Department regarding its recent operations.
They went on to say that either the Consumer Protection Department should be dissolved or it must be restricted to operate strictly within its legal jurisdiction.They emphasized that the monitoring and regulation of clinics and hospitals, including the imposition of fines, fall exclusively under the authority of the Health Department and its subordinate bodies.
The clinic owners warned that such actions by the Consumer Protection Department are negatively affecting the operations of private clinics.They stressed that every institution must work within its defined limits to prevent misuse of power and ensure smooth functioning of the health sector.
