Justice Biswajit Bose has been appointed as the new chairperson of the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission, while IAS officer Moumita Godara Basu will serve as vice-chairperson.
The West Bengal government has reconstituted the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC), appointing retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Biswajit Bose as its new chairperson. He succeeds retired Justice Ashim Kumar Banerjee, who previously headed the commission.
New Leadership at WBCERC
IAS officer Moumita Godara Basu has been appointed vice-chairperson of the reconstituted commission. The WBCERC functions as a quasi-judicial body responsible for regulating and supervising private healthcare establishments across West Bengal.
13-Member Commission Reconstituted
According to reports, the newly reconstituted commission comprises 13 members, including senior doctors and experts from different fields. The appointments are aimed at strengthening regulation, accountability and transparency in the state’s private healthcare sector.
Among the members is Dr Subhash Chandra Biswas, a senior medical professional with more than three decades of experience. He has guided over 60 MD, MS and PhD theses and has also advised the West Bengal government on implementation of the PCPNDT Act.
Senior Medical Experts Among Members
The commission also includes Professor Dr Susanta Kumar Bandyopadhyay, former Director of Medical Education and ex-officio Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal.
Dr Syamasis Bandyopadhyay, a senior rheumatologist and immunologist with more than 30 years of experience, has also been appointed as a member. He holds MBBS and MD degrees and has completed MRCP (UK), CCST (UK) and FRCP (Edinburgh).
Former Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti is also among the newly appointed members of the commission.
Previous Commission Took Key Steps During COVID-19
During the tenure of outgoing chairperson Justice Ashim Kumar Banerjee, the commission introduced several regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, including caps on the cost of COVID-19 tests and certain diagnostic procedures.
Focus on Regulation of Private Healthcare
With the change in leadership and appointment of new members, the reconstituted WBCERC is expected to continue its regulatory role over private healthcare establishments in West Bengal, with emphasis on accountability, transparency and compliance with applicable healthcare regulations.
