Why Doctors Protested Against Rajasthan Government's Right To Health Bill

Nearly 20,000 doctors gathered to rally in Jaipur after the Indian Medical Association called for a protest against the Right to health bill which was recently passed by the state assembly of Rajasthan, on 27 March.

This is the biggest protest the government has seen since passing the landmark bill which will benefit thousands in the state assembly earlier in March. The demands of the IMA and the doctors is that the government should rollback the law but the stance of the government is that they will not take back the health bill at any cost.

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Thousands of doctors and professionals associated with medical profession including medical shop owners took part in the rally which started from hostel ground of SMS hospital passing through Suchna Kemdra Tiraha, Maharani College Tiraha, Ashok Marg and Panchbati on MI road. The landmark legislation makes Rajasthan the first state in India to make access to healthcare a legal entitlement of every citizen of the state.

What is Right to health bill.

Under the bill, neither private hospitals and clinics nor government hospitals can refuse any citizen of the state seeking emergency treatment. And according to the bill the cost of the treatment will be beared by the government who will reimburse the private hospitals and clinics.

However this has not gone down well with the private hospitals and clinics. The bill allows any citizen of the state to avail health benfits in any established clinic. Any person can also avail consultations, medicines, diagnostics in public health centres, free outdoor and indoor patient services without prepayment.

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The government is claiming that proper suggestions from the doctors were incorporated before passing the bill but the doctors denied any such claims. The doctors who in turn are seeking complete withdrawal of the bill said "it will put on a beauracratic control on the private hospitals and clinics. According to Dr. Vijay Kapoor, Secretary of the Private Hospital and Nursing Home Society told PTI, "we already provide free medical services to the patients under several government schemes and,in such a situation, there is absolutely no need for this bill.

The doctors are also more concerned about how the government is planning on reimbursing the hospital for the cost incurred by providing the said treatment and care to the patients. Doctors are also seeking clarification of what an "emergency" constitutes of . According to Dr. Aviral Mathur, Senior Resident MAMC & Lok Nayak Hospital, President FORDA, "For a citizen, a mere headache can be an emergency and with this bill the citizen has a right to demand treatment for the headache at anytime from doctors".

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He also said, Doctor also fear "exploitation" by patients. "A private clinic runs from 9 am to 10 pm. If a patient has an emergency at 12 pm in the night (emergency like headache), then the patient can demand to get treated irrespective of the conditions at the clinic. So there are chances that doctors will get exploited because of the bill".

It is no doubt that providing quality healthcare services free of cost to the citizens is the duty of the government but putting further burden on the already ailing private health sector will put the private sector in jeopardy.

The IMA will observe Monday, 27 March as a black day and the chairman of the IMA said , "we won't be able to work peaceful with this bill".