Right to Health Bill: Talks Between Striking Doctors, Rajasthan Govt Fail; Protest To Continue

Talks between striking doctors and the Rajasthan government over the protest against the Right to Health Bill remained inconclusive on Monday.  The six-member delegation of doctors led by secretary of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society, Vijay Kapoor met the state government representatives to resolve the impasse over the Bill and ensure appropriate medical care to the people. The meeting, however, failed to reach a concrete solution to the issue. Private doctors in Rajasthan are demanding withdrawal of the Bill passed in the state assembly on March 28. According to the bill, every resident of the state will have the right to emergency treatment and care "without prepayment" in any "public health institution, health care establishment and designated health care centres".                

Kapoor, in a statement, said the statewide complete medical bandh in protest against the Bill continued for the 16th day on Monday. A large number of doctors along with representatives of other social organisations reached the JMA auditorium. Supporting the movement, various social organisations urged the government to accept the just demands of the doctors and end this impasse immediately, he said.  He said the bandh continued in all districts of the state, adding that Dr Sohan Kumawat, who is sitting on a fast unto death in Sirohi, reached Jaipur on the fifth day of his fast.  Elaborating further on the support garnered by the protest, the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society secretary said 218 private hospitals in Jaipur have given their written consent to discontinue government schemes. 

He said 100 per cent private hospitals from other 21 districts of the state have given written applications for mass de-empanelment of government schemes. Kapoor also announced that a big rally will be held on Tuesday where a large number of medical workers will participate. "We are getting support from other states of the country as well," he added.