IMA Punjab slams ‘Right to Health Bill’ by Rajasthan assembly

Patiala: Indian Medical Association (IMA) Punjab on Monday condemned the passing of ‘Right to Health Bill’ by the Rajasthan assembly, saying that it would lead to closure of all small and big private hospitals in Rajasthan.

“By this bill the state wants that every private hospital is duty bound to treat all the emergency patients free of cost, which will cripple the already financially overburdened private medical sector. But the bill is silent on defining emergency and its reimbursement from state,” IMA Punjab said in a release.

“This bill will also cause more strains in the already fragile patient-doctor relationship leading to increased incidences of violence against doctors due to discrepancies in services and its payments. The present Rajasthan government has failed to improve its own infrastructure and health services in the last five years and now wants to shun its responsibilities by shifting deficient emergency services to private sector healthcare facilities,” the release added.