Public Health Bill; English translation reaches Governor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The English translation of the Public Health Bill which was passed by the Legislative Assembly last March, was handed over to Raj Bhavan by the government yesterday. Despite the legal requirement to provide English translations of bills, this translation arrived seven months late. The government had expressed concerns that the governor had not yet signed the bill.

In the meantime, the governor has sought legal advice on the public health bill. The Chief Secretary and the Health Secretary had urged the Governor to approve the bill for the sake of public health, including controlling epidemics. After receiving complaints from Ayush doctors about the bill, the governor also asked the government for an explanation. However, the explanation provided was not satisfactory and legal advice was subsequently sought.

The governor had received a complaint alleging that the bill was unconstitutional, encroached on the powers of local authorities, and did not consider treatment methods other than allopathy. Registered medical practitioners are authorized to issue certificates of disease-free status to those suffering from infectious diseases while Ayurvedic and homeopathic practitioners do not have the same level of freedom in their treatment methods. A committee led by allopathic doctors has the authority to determine the treatment procedures. The Allopathic Medical Officer will also have the power to conduct inspections at Ayush treatment centers and refer patients to other facilities without prior notice. Critics argue that all these changes may reduce the cost of alternative treatment methods.