A total of 16,698 health institutions across the state have been registered either permanently or temporarily under the Gujarat Clinical Establishment Act as on February 11, 2025, the health department said on Tuesday. The deadline for registration is March 12. Of these, 14,647 health institutions registered online, while 2,051 registered offline. Of the total registered institutes, 12,028 are allopathic, 1,622 ayurvedic and 3,009 homeopathic and 39 were Unani, Yoga, Naturopathy and Siddha system hospitals and clinics. Of the total 12,028 allopathic registrations, 7,150 were hospitals. These can be further bifurcated into 5,268 private and 1,882 public sector hospitals. There were 3,986 registrations of clinics, 40 blood banks, 566 clinical laboratories and 286 X-ray/imaging centres. "Strict implementation of this Act will result in effective regulation of the health services system and the quality of health services will improve through stakeholder participation and treatment methods. Under the Act, registration is mandatory and is allowed only for approved medical practices. This will bring about better management," a government statement said. Under this Act, it is mandatory for all government health institutions, private and trust-run institutions to get registered. Registration is also mandatory for all types of therapeutic and diagnostic services of clinical institutions. It is also mandatory for medical institutions providing services like allopathy, ayurveda, homeopathy and Unani to get registered. Under this Act, clinics/consulting rooms/polyclinics/hospitals/standalone labs and other diagnostic units are required to get registered by paying the prescribed fee. There is a provision of fine — Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh — which can be imposed on anyone operating without a registration under the Act. The Act includes hospitals, maternity homes, nursing homes, dispensaries, clinics, sanatoriums, which provide medical services necessary for the diagnosis, treatment or care of illness, injury, physical disability, or pregnancy through any recognized medical system. Also, the provisions of this Act apply to medical institutions where pathological, bacteriological, genetic, radiological, chemical, biological examination or other diagnostic services are provided with the help of a laboratory or other medical equipment for the diagnosis or treatment of diseases and which are registered under the central, provincial or state Act, government or non-government corporations (including societies), local authorities and medical institutions owned or controlled or managed by a doctor. The Gujarat Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act was published in the Gazette on May 22, 2021. The Act came into force in Gujarat on September 13, 2022. The Gujarat Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Regulations, 2021 were published in the Gazette on March 13, 2024 and came into force in the state on the same day.
