Why are Rajasthan doctors fighting the Right to Health Bill?

The impasse between the doctors of Rajasthan and the state government over the Right to Health Bill has entered the 10th day and doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. Ever since Ashok Gehlot’s government passed the Bill in the state assembly on March 21, the doctors in the state have been demanding the leadership to take it back.

However, the Rajasthan Health Minister Prsasadi Lal Meena remains adamant and said that the government is ready for discussions on the Bill but it will not be withdrawn at any cost. 

While the doctors consider the Bill to be an ill-conceived idea that odstruct the work of medical professionals, especially the private doctors and institutions, the government calls it a basic necessity for every citizen of the state. 

What is the Right to Health Bill? 

The Bill is the first of its kind passed by the Rajasthan government.It seeks to give every citizen the right to emergency treatment and care without any prerequisite charges at any public health institution, health care establishment and designated health centres. 

It gives every citizen the right to avail the Out Patient Department (OPD) services and In Patient Department (IPD) services at public health facilities. The Bill proposes that if a patient is not able to pay for charges after the emergency care, stabilisation and care, the government will reimburse the health care provider.

The Bill defines the "health care establishment" as the whole or part of a public or private institution, facility, building or place operated to provide healthcare.

In simple words, under this law, no government or private hospital can deny medical facilities to a patient even if he/she is unable to pay for the treatment. 

Why are the doctors protesting?

The medical professionals in Rajasthan, especially the private doctors, are out on the streets because they think that the Bill would lead to exploitation of the private doctors and institutions because the Bill doesn't imply the mechanism on how the government will repay the private institutions.

The doctors basically fear that the Bill would harm the private practitioner. Several aspects of the Bill are being disputed by the doctors. The major one being: what constitutes an emergency treatment?

Dr Amit Yadav, former President of Jaipur Association of Doctors said that they have not defined what is emergency in the Bill. It could range from a heart attack to a child coming up with a stomach ache in the middle of the night. "It will increase bureaucratic challenges in the hospital determining what is and is not an emergency," Indian Express quoted Dr Yadav as saying.

He further said that the second problem with the Bill is that it does not define the mechanism of reimbursement from the government. And the third issue is that it does not say who should treat what. "If I run an eye clinic, I cannot treat a heart attack case."

Mumbai doctors come out in support

The doctors of Mumbai have also extended their support to the Rajasthan doctors saying that the Bill is a mere election propaganda and will do little to help the people of the state.

The basic argument the doctors in Mumbai have raised is that, who will pay for the treatment, diagnostic services, infrastructure costs that the hospital incurs on behalf of the patient. The hospital will have to pay from its own pocket and if the cost of free treatment is high, then how does the hospital pay for the staff that is there to look after the patient.

What’s next?

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has requested the doctors to call off the strike saying that the government is ready to listen to their demands.

But so far the protests have not been called off. Instead, the demonstrations have increased with the doctors of Mumbai also showing their support to the Rajasthan doctors.