Private doctors hit the road in Rajasthan again to protest RTH Bill

JAIPUR: Central Jaipur came to a standstill on Monday as hundreds of doctors from private hospitals across the state took out a rally here to oppose the Right to Health Bill which was recently passed by the assembly.
Wearing white aprons, doctors walked for three hours from resident doctors' hostel ground to Albert Hall covering around 4km. The protesters walked with banners saying, 'No to Right to Health Bill', even as the state government appeared in no mood to do so.
Doctors and private hospitals' staff left the resident doctors' hostel ground at 11am and reached Panch Batti intersection from Ashok Marg via Maharani College Road. From there, via Ajmeri Gate, New Gate and Albert Hall, they returned to the hostel at 2.30 pm.
After the rally, Dr Vijay Kapoor, secretary, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society (PHNHS), along with the delegation of doctors reached SMS Medical College principal and controller Dr Rajeev Bagarhatta office and requested him that no pressure should be made on resident doctors and government doctors who are supporting the strike.
Dr Kapoor said, "The doctors of the state are agitated and in such a situation, if punitive action is taken against the resident doctors or government doctors involved in the strike, then the anger will escalate further."
Private hospital bodies assured the striking resident doctors that if the government takes any kind of action against any doctor supporting the strike, then all agitators will stand in your support.
In the rally, the doctors unanimously decided that all private hospitals of the state will not work in any scheme (RGSH and Chiranjeevi).
The doctors threatened the government that if the Bill is not withdrawn with immediate effect, it would be difficult to control the agitation.
Indian Medical Association (IMA), which is supporting the agitating doctors, also took part in the rally. "In the talks with the government on the Bill, we came to an agreement with the government but the government detracted," said Dr Sunil Chugh, president, IMA (Rajasthan).
In the rally, cardiologists, ENT specialists, neurologists and superspecialist doctors took part to raise their voice against the Bill.
"Government needs to strengthen current schemes rather than looking at the private health sector. Can you imagine the number of healthcare professionals and people of allied services get job due to the private health sector," said a cardiologist of a private hospital.