Pvt hospitals in city to remain shut today in protest against RTH Bill

Jaipur: Protesting against Right to Health bill, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society (PHNHS) has called for a complete ‘medical bandh’ in Jaipur on Monday, which is also the first day of winter session of the state assembly. Besides, the select committee constituted by the state assembly will also hold its first meeting to review the bill on Monday.

“All private hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres will be part of this bandh and all routine services including OPD, diagnostic services and routine surgeries will remain suspended,” said Dr Vijay Kapoor, secretary, PHNHS.

The medical bandh will include all big corporate hospitals, private medical college hospitals and other hospitals across the city, Dr Kapoor said.

“The bandh has the support from all leading professional bodies and associations including clinics under UPCHAR, diagnostic centres under Indian Radiology & Imaging Association (IRIA), anesthesia specialists under Jaipur Society of Anesthesiologists (JSA), Indian Academy of Paediatrics ( IAP), Association of Physicians of India (API), Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), Rajasthan Hernia Society (RHS), Rajasthan Ophthalmic Society (ROS) have also extended support to the bandh,” Dr Kapoor said.

He added that emergency services and care of indoor patients will continue. PHNHS threatened that if there is no change in the stance of the government, indefinite bandh and total boycott of all government schemes across the state is likely.

Apart from that, the call of boycott of work announced by Indian Medical Services along with other doctors’ association for Sunday evoked a lukewarm response as clinics and hospitals were open.

The private hospitals are protesting against provisions in the bill making it mandatory for them to provide free treatment to patients coming to the hospital in emergency.

The doctors are opposing the provision as they pointed out that ‘emergency’ has not been defined in the bill. Besides, they are opposing some other provisions in the bill which advocate forming of district committee comprising of zila pramukh and pradhans. They pointed out that there is no representation of doctors in such committees which will investigate into grievances and complaints against private hospitals.