Karnataka doctors strike: Protesting doctors hold talk with CM

Bengaluru: With the doctors' protest against the proposed Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act entering its fourth day, the president of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, Dr. Jayanna, said the discussions with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah showed positive outcome.

Speaking to ANI, the doctor said, "Given the discussions that we had with the chief minister, we are clear he is going to take an appropriate and responsible decision."

Private hospitals' indefinite strike has been demanding the dropping of at least four contentious proposals in the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (amendment) Bill 2017 - an amendment to the original Act of 2007.

As per reports, the out-patient departments (OPDs) are non-functional for now.

The protest started on Monday where the doctors of Private Hospitals Association and Indian Medical Association (IMA) started protesting against the proposed KPME Act.

More than 25,000 doctors from various private medical hospitals and health care assembled in Belagavi (formerly Belgaum).

The protest was staged on the first day of the 10-day winter session of Karnataka Legislature, which began in Belagavi, following which the chief minister called them for negotiations.

The Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act, 2007 was passed with the aim of regulating private sector medical establishments.

The Act mandates registration of all private medical establishments, charts out the obligations like maintaining records, prescribes minimum standards of facilities and services provided in the private medical establishment and mandates displaying rates of various procedures.