Following the Supreme Court's directions to the Medical Council of India (MCI) regarding treatment of people living with HIV, the Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) has issued guidelines to all private doctors, clinics, nursing homes and hospitals to submit quarterly report of HIV patients treated by them to the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).
The Supreme Court has directed the MCI to furnish information in respect of HIV patients, who are clinically evaluated to be in need of second line anti-retro viral therapy (ART), to NACO.
Directive
“Every physician shall maintain the medical records pertaining to their in-patients for a period of three years from the date of commencement of the treatment in a standard format given by the MCI,” according to a press release issued by KMC Registrar N. Vidyasagar.
“Failure to comply with the directions shall be construed as professional misconduct,” the release said.
Further, if any request is made for medical records either by the patients, their attendants or legal authorities, they should be given within 72 hours, it is said.
The anti-retro viral therapy is now available free at 284 ART centres across the country.
