Rajasthan doctors begin one-day strike against Right to Health Bill; medical services take a hit

Jaipur: Medical services remained crippled in Rajasthan on Wednesday after government doctors and faculty members in medical colleges went on a one-day strike in solidarity with private doctors agitating against the Right to Health Bill. Emergency services have been exempted from the strike.

General patients faced trouble in getting treatment in government as well as private institutes.

Ajay Chaudhary, president, in-service doctors association, said government doctors have gone on a mass leave on Wednesday to boycott work in support of the movement against the Right to Health Bill (RTH).

He said doctors are working in emergencies.

In Rajasthan, private doctors are demanding withdrawal of the Bill passed in the state assembly last Tuesday. According to the Bill, every resident of the state will have the right to emergency treatment and care "without prepayment" at any "public health institution, health care establishment and designated health care centres."

Meanwhile, the state government has warned of strict action against the doctors and government staffers going on leave without prior approval.

Iqbal Khan, joint secretary, health department, had on Tuesday issued an order to medical college principals directing them to ensure that medical services in OPD, IPD, ICU, emergency and maternity wards were not affected and to take disciplinary action against the doctors going on leave without approval.

Chaudhary, however, asserted that there was no impact of the order on the striking professionals.

"It is the duty of the state to issue such orders in order to make its own arrangements, but government doctors all over the state are on mass leave and have boycotted work," he said.

Apart from them, resident doctors are also on strike.