Right to Health Bill Protest: More than 50,000 Doctors, Paramedical Personnel join Rally in Rajasthan, Doctors observe Black Day across India

Jaipur: The protest against Right to Health Act in Rajasthan today took an unprecedented form as more than 50,000 doctors and paramedical personnel from across the State left their work and came on road to join a massive rally against the alleged "draconian" policy of the State Government.

Gathering in Jaipur, the doctors from government and private sectors from all districts of Rajasthan participated in the protest march from SMS Medical College hostel to Panchbati Chauraha to Albert Hall and again returning back to SMS Hostel, former president of Jaipur Resident Doctors' Association (JARD) Dr. Yadav informed Medical Dialogues.

He also mentioned that doctors from all across the State joined the rally including representatives from JARD, Jaipur Medical Association, United Private Clinics and Hospitals' Association in Rajasthan (UPCHAR), All Rajasthan In Service Doctor Association and medical teachers' association. 

The rally was 3-4 miles long and the doctors marched or 5 to 6 kms, Indian Medical Association (IMA) mentioned in a Tweet while sharing a video of thousands of doctors raising the slogan "No to RTH".

Meanwhile, expressing solidarity with the protesting doctors in Rajasthan has organized an "All India Protest Virtual March" meeting at 8 PM today. Apart from this, the National President of IMA Dr. Sharad Kumar Agarwal along with other IMA leaders met the Collector of Tirupati and presented him with a Memorandum opposing the Rajasthan Government's Right to Health Act.

Speaking to Media, Dr. Agarwal mentioned, "Right to Health is definitely the right of the poor and the citizens of the country and the State governments have the responsibility to fulfill that. But because they are incapable of fulfilling their responsibility, they are putting all the responsibility on the doctors without saying that who will pay the expenses. We are ready to support the government but we cannot shoulder the entire responsibility which the government is supposed to take."

Explaining that Government spends Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 per day per bed in Government hospitals to provide free treatment, he further mentioned, "Who will pay such expenses that the Government is paying in Government hospitals. Government is very much silent and because there is election in Rajasthan and it is a populistic approach they are strangulating us and we have no option but to close the services in Rajasthan," he further mentioned adding that the protest will further get expanded in other States outside Rajasthan.

"We are protesting against the Right to Health Bill and we appeal to the Rajasthan Government to take up and take back this draconian bill," mentioned Dr. Agarwal.

The doctors belonging to private hospitals in Rajasthan have been protesting against the proposed "Right to Health" bill for the last few months. While the Bill was proposed by the Rajasthan Government to ensure that the residents of the State can avail treatment at any hospital, it made the medical fraternity in the State furious as they termed it to be draconian and illogical. Several Clauses of the bill have been pointed out by the doctors under Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Society (PHNHS) and Jaipur Medical Association as they claimed that it lacks clarity and wants to delimit the powers of doctors.

Referring to the Bill that aims to ensure the rights of the patient for availing quality healthcare, the doctors have mainly objected to the clauses that requires that patients will be treated for any medical emergency free of cost at both private and government hospitals. The doctors pointed out that the State has not defined what is an emergency and how the cost of such medical expenses will be reimbursed to the private doctors and hospitals.

Apart from this, the doctors under the Jaipur branch of Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also opposed a specific clause of the bill that talks about setting up a separate grievance redressal committee for addressing the complaints by patients. Amidst the complete shutdown of medical services in Rajasthan by private and government doctors, the State passed the bill in the Assembly last week.

Even though the State Assembly has now passed this controversial bill, the doctors are not ready to accept defeat and they are continuing their protest against the controversial Health Act demanding the withdrawal of the same.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that expressing solidarity with the Rajasthan doctors, IMA had announced observing All India Protest Day on March 27. Today, around 50,000 doctors and paramedical staff from all across Rajasthan joined the protesting march in Jaipur. Soon the video of the rally started circulating on the social media. One doctor wrote, "Doctor's solidarity against the draconian Right to Health bill by the Rajasthan Govt. Most shameful case of appeasement politics."

Referring to the Bill, All Rajasthan MBBS Doctors Association mentioned in a Tweet, "RTH is not Right to health for people.. if it doesn't get rollback patients will get to know the "jaadugiri" in the bill.. done by beaurocrats and the govt But certainly it is "Right to Harass" the Hospitals via various commities and we cannot appeal in court against them."

"So the Rajasthan govt wants private doctors to ensure people's right to health with their own money. Ok. Then we'll also pay to run your police and your administration. I assure you, we'll do a much better job than a group of illiterate, ignorant, power-hungry politicians," stated a Twitter user.

Meanwhile, Jaipur Association of Resident's Doctors (JARD) has given a call for Twitter storm today at 5:00 PM against the Right to Health Act.

Support from Medical Fraternity Across India: 

Doctors all across the country have now come in support of the protesting doctors in Rajasthan. In a recent Press Release, FORDA mentioned, "As the largest organization representing the resident doctors in India, we stand in solidarity with our colleagues and as a mark of our protest we declare the upcoming week (27/03/2023 onwards) as a BLACK-WEEK, to show our discontent against the BLACK-BILL."

"We urge all state RDAs, and members of other medical organisations to wear black ribbons/ badges/ other black insignia to show support for the protesting factions. We demand the Rajasthan government to address the legitimate grievances of the protesting doctors immediately. Failure to act might lead to a larger escalation of this issue," added the release.

The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) also announced its decision of observing Black Day protest in support of the protesting doctors in Rajasthan, In a recent Tweet, FAIMA mentioned, "#FAIMA is observing #BlackDay protest on 27/03/23 in solidarity with improper implementation of #Right2Health Bill Rajsthan & Violence on Doctors by Police! #RDA associated with #FAIMA will be observing black badge protest tomorrow in duty hours!"

Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals has also announced its decision of observing a Black Week for the Black Bill along with FORDA. Junior Doctors Association (JDA) Madhya Pradesh has also come forward and announced a Black Ribbon Day on March 27.

Coordination Committee for Associations of Resident Doctors in Delhi Municipal Hospitals has also released a Joint Press Statement and expressed solidarity with the Rajasthan doctors.

"We will participate in black band protests with FORDA, FAIMA and IMA from 27/03/2023 for the rest of the week while discharging our duties in our respective hospitals," read the release.

Also Read: Protest against Right to Health bill Continues in Rajasthan, IMA announces All India Protest Day on March 27