8,000 private hospitals, clinics across Karnataka to remain closed today

BENGALURU: Medical services are likely to be affected across the State on Monday as doctors are heading to Belagavi as part of the ‘Belagavi Chalo’ protest against the proposed Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Bill. While the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a complete shutdown of services from doctors belonging to their association, a group of other doctors opines otherwise. The Association of Healthcare Providers of India (APHI) and other private hospital associations have assured that emergency services would remain unaffected.

Dr Rajashekar Bellary, state president, IMA Karnataka, said the association has called for a complete shut down. “About 8,000 healthcare providers, including private hospitals, nursing homes would remain shut. Emergency services would be handled by government hospitals and surgeries are postponed,” he said. Dr Ajai Kumar, president, APHI said that while a group of doctors would reach Belagavi for discussion, junior doctors would be available in hospitals for emergency services. He added that services in tier-2 and tier-3 cities could take a major hit as the number of doctors available for service would be fewer. “The government has made no effort to reach out to us. A lot of politicians think low of doctors. We are being attacked unnecessarily for providing quality care,” he said, adding that all these are being done to increase the vote bank in the wake of upcoming elections. Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Hospitals said even as a large group of doctors have reached Belagavi, alternative arrangements have been made by most private players to handle cases in Bengaluru. “We are assembling there to express solidarity. The further course of action would be an outcome of Monday’s discussion,” he said. “Alternative arrangements have been made for surgeries on Monday,” he added. Through various posts that have been doing rounds on social media, doctors have been asked to go on a hunger strike if talks with the state government fail on Monday.

Major contentions

Dr R Ravindra, president, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association said a majority of the recommendations provided by the Justice Vikramjit Sen Committee has not been considered. The committee saw representations from both private and public sectors. “Procedure and cost cutting at private hospitals is one of the contentions. They have suggested grievance redressal be set up at district centres. This defeats the purpose of having consumer courts and other bodies. We also want patient charter to be a guideline,” he added.