RTH now applicable to hospitals with over 50 beds: Rajasthan health minister Parsadi Lal Meena

Kota: Health minister Parsadi Lal Meena on Tuesday said the Right to Health (RTH) Bill was now applicable to all hospitals with capacity of more than 50 beds and claimed that Rajasthan is the first state in the country to give this right to its people through a bill.

The state health minister was speaking to the media at the circuit house during his one-day visit to the city.

"An agreement has been reached with the private hospital doctors on the RTH Bill by accepting some of their demands," Meena said.

In response to a question, Meena refuted claims about interference by public representatives in private hospital affairs after the enforcement of the RTH. "No place was given to any public representative in any of the grievance committees and there would be two representatives of Indian medical association (IMA) in each of them," the health minsiter said.

"Whatever demands the doctors put to the chief secretary, the same were incorporated in the bill without any change and if something has been left out, it would be included in the rules," the state health minister added.

"So far, the doctors were adamant on withdrawal of the bill while the state government was determined to give the people right to health," Meena said.

Efforts are underway to increase the manpower according to requirement in hospitals and collectors and CMHOs of the districts were authorized to ensure the same, Meena said, claiming that all primary health centres in the state had a doctor and staff.