All private and public medical facilities as well as laboratories will have to go for compulsory registration under a single regulatory framework with the government today giving its go-ahead to a bill in this regard. The cabinet which met in New Delhi today chaired by the prime minister has cleared the Clinical Establishment Bill which envisages all hospitals and labs as well as clinics run by individual doctors to be registered. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after the meeting that they will have to follow Indian Public Health Standards in a bid to streamline and ensure quality.<br/><br/>Initially the law after enactment by Parliament would come into effect in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim and all Union Territories.<br/><br/>The main purpose of the law is to provide a legislative framework for the registration and regulation of clinical establishments in the country.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports, the bill is expected to help in the crackdown on private diagnostic laboratories specially those engaged in illegal sex determination tests through ultrasound. Despite many state legislatures having enacted laws for regulating health care providers, the current regulatory process for health care provides in India is inadequate or not responsive to ensure health care services of acceptable quality and prevent negligence. Accordingly, a need has long been felt for a central legislation for ensuring uniform standards of facilities and services by the clinical establishments.