Private doctors' strike likely to be called off in Rajasthan as govt agrees to their demand

Jaipur: A consensus was arrived at during talks on Tuesday between the Rajasthan government and doctors agitating over the Right to Health (RTH) Bill as the government reportedly agreed to keep the private hospitals that have not taken land or other benefits at subsidised rates from it outside the ambit of the proposed legislation. A delegation of doctors, including those from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association and the United Private Clinics and Hospitals Association (UPCHAR), held talks with the government and signed a memorandum on eight points. The doctors said their major demand that the private hospitals that have not taken any benefit from the government in the form of land or buildings at subsidised rates should be kept outside the ambit of the RTH Bill has been accepted. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot confirmed the development in a tweet. "I am happy that finally an agreement has been reached between the government and the doctors on Right to Health and Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to implement Right to Health. I hope that the doctor-patient relationship will remain the same in future as well," Gehlot said. "An agreement with the government has been arrived at. The private sector has completely been freed from the RTH Bill. The government will implement it from its resources and institutions. We have converted our rally into a 'Vijay Rally' and will hold a general body meeting to call off the agitation formally," secretary of the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society Dr Vijay Kapoor said. A massive rally was taken out by the protesting doctors here on Tuesday to oppose the RTH Bill. The doctors have been demanding the withdrawal of the bill, which was passed by the Rajasthan Assembly on March 28. 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, healthcare establishment and designated healthcare centre".