In the latest tweet, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot informed that a “consensus” has been reached between the state government and the protesting doctors over the Right to Health Bill.
The minister said: “I am happy that finally an agreement has been reached between the government and the doctors on the Right to Health and Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to implement the Right to Health Bill. I hope the doctor-patient relationship will remain the same in the future.”
Reportedly, the talks between the Rajasthan government and the protesting doctors over the controversial bill were inconclusive on Monday. The six-member delegation of doctors led by the secretary of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society, Vijay Kapoor met the state government representatives so that both parties could reach a middle ground. Private doctors in Rajasthan are demanding the withdrawal of the Bill passed in the state assembly on March 28.
As per reports, a massive rally was on the cards for Tuesday, one similar to what was seen on March 27.
Secretary of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society, Dr Vijay Kapoor said, “The kind of rally that was taken out on March 27, will be taken out on Tuesday as well. Our protest will continue till the government withdraws this bill.”
The Right to Health Bill was tabled in Rajasthan Assembly last year in September 2022 and it intends to provide free and affordable medical services in both public as well as private hospitals, laboratories and clinics.
Reportedly, on Monday, it was decided that the government will include hospitals in the Right-to-Health Bill in a phased manner. In the first phase, four types of hospitals will be included in the bill. First – all those hospitals, to which the government has provided land at a concessional rate, second – all government and private medical colleges, third, all hospitals running on PPP mode, and fourth, all those hospitals under the trust, which have received some or the other help from the government.
It was also informed that hospitals with less than 50 bills would be kept out of the bill.
Due to nearly 16-days long protest and private hospitals and laboratories shut down for days now, the bill has become a source of distress among the patients. There has been patient overloading in government hospital and reportedly, simple tests like an X-ray have become a challenge.
The bill had received opposition from private healthcare facilities who believe that the bill lacks the suggestions made by the medical practitioners, is hastily prepared and ignores ground realities. As per the doctors, healthcare is an over-regulated field and more control might be unnecessary.
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