DNA Exclusive: Why Are Doctors In Rajasthan Protesting Against Right To Health Bill?

New Delhi: For the past week, doctors in Rajasthan have been staging protests across the state against the Ashok Gehlot government's Right To Health Bill. The protestors mostly include doctors from private hospitals who have taken to the streets to protest. Government hospital doctors also went on strike on Wednesday (March 29) to show support for the doctors protesting against the bill. Medical services were affected as doctors went on mass leave.

In today's DNA, Zee News' Rohit Ranjan spoke about the Right To Health bill and why private hospital doctors are protesting against it.

The Right To Health bill states that private and government hospitals must provide treatment for emergency cases without taking any deposit fee from the patient. Moreover, if the patient dies in the hospital during treatment and the deceased is not able to pay the amount for the treatment, the hospital needs to release the deceased's body to the family. 

In addition to this, the bill states that it will be the responsibility of the hospital to refer the patient to another hospital if required and provide an ambulance.

Doctors who are protesting allege that the Rajasthan government has not stated what situations count as emergencies. But the Rajasthan government has said that it has indeed mentioned a list of emergency cases that are bound to be treated free of cost.

Another argument by the doctors is that hospitals won't be able to meet their expenses if patients will be treated free of cost. However, this argument has also been countered by the fact that the government will reportedly compensate the hospitals for the expenses they incur. Although private hospitals are strongly protesting against this bill, the Rajasthan Health Minister has said that the government won't withdraw the bill as it is in the interest of the people.

Watch today's DNA for a detailed analysis of the protests against Rajasthan's Right To Health bill.

DNA : राजस्थान में 'राइट टू हेल्थ'... हर अस्पताल परेशान सा क्यूं? #DNA #Rajasthan #RightToHealth । @irohitr pic.twitter.com/eiO7B0uCgA — Zee News (@ZeeNews) March 29, 2023