Rajasthan capital Jaipur witnessed a massive protest by doctors today, as thousands gathered to demonstrate against the Right to Health Bill passed by the state assembly. The protest comes on the heels of an eight-day strike by doctors working in private medical institutions across the state.
Notably, the protesting doctors of the state have received support from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has declared today a ‘Black Day’ and called for a nationwide shutdown of medical services.
The Right to Health Bill, which was passed by voice vote on March 21, gives every resident of the state the right to emergency treatment and care without prepayment of fees or charges by any public health institution, health care establishment (including private ones) and designated health care centres.
Protesting doctors of private institutions argue that the bill shirks the government’s responsibility to improve medical care in the state and will bring down the private hospitals and clinics to the level of government ones.
The bill defines a ‘health care establishment’ as the whole or any part of a public or private institution, facility, building, or place operated to provide health care. If a patient does not pay the charges after emergency care, stabilization, and referral, the government will reimburse the healthcare provider.
The protest in Jaipur is a part of a larger movement across Rajasthan, with doctors calling for a repeal of the Right to Health Bill and a more comprehensive approach to improving healthcare in the state.
On Twitter a lot of the doctors are worried about loosing revenue, here are the tweets.
