Amid the strong protest of private doctors and medical professionals and dessent by the opposition on the Right to Health bill the Rajasthan Assembly passed the bill with a voice vote on Tuesday.
The Medical and Health minister of the state Parsadi Lal Meena said that the government is determined to provide better health facilities to the public and we have tried to incorporate all the suggestions made by the doctors and the opposition in the bill so the agitation of the doctors is not justified. ‘Doctors are demanding to scrap the bill which is not possible. The private hospitals have commercialized the profession to the extent that they do not hand over the dead body unless the bill is not paid. Such practices should be stopped,’ said the health minister.
On the other hand, the opposition Bjp leaders said that how can the government compel the private hospitals that have not taken any concessions from the government to come under the purview of the bill? The deputy leader of the opposition Rajendra Rathor said ‘the stakeholders are on the streets against the bill. Government should listen to them first.’
Doctors on Dharna
In the meantime, the private doctors who protested against the bill on Monday were thrashed by the police set on Dharna for the whole night. They again tried to move towards the Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday and the police had to use water cannons to stop the protesting doctors. The resident doctors of the government hospitals have also supported the private doctors.
Provisions of the bill
The bill provides that every resident in the State of Rajasthan shall have the right to have adequate relevant information about the nature, and cause of illness, proposed investigations and care, expected results of treatment, possible complications, and expected costs and to
to avail of free OPD services, IPD services consultation, drugs, diagnostics, emergency transport, procedure, and emergency care as provided by all public health institutions accordingly to their level of health care.
The bill also has the provision to have emergency treatment and care for an accidental emergency without prepayment of requisite fees or charges in private hospitals and if the patient does not pay requisite charges, the government will reimburse them.
New Grievance Redressal System
A Grievances Redressal Mechanism has also been envisaged in the bill in which a specified web portal and helpline center will be established where a complaint may be made on denial of services and infringement of rights provided under this Act. The concerned officer shall respond to the complainant within the next 24 hours.
The bill provides for a fine of up to Rs 10000 for the first contravention of any provisions of the bill and up to Rs 25000 for the subsequent contraventions.
