Karnataka Health Minister urged to mandate writing doctors prescriptions in Kannada

Bengaluru: The Kannada Development Authority recently urged Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to issue an order making it mandatory for doctors working in all government health centres and hospitals to write prescriptions in the state's official language.

Apart from this, the KDA Chairperson Purushotham Bilimale also suggested felicitating doctors every year on Doctors' Day at taluk, district, and state-level in recognition of their love for Kannda and "their activities in favour of the language".

Writing to Rao, Bilimale asked the minister to create an atmosphere where Kannada-loving doctors working in private hospitals and their heads too are encouraged to use the language, PTI has reported.

"This will be of great help in the progress of Kannada language, and I hereby request you to pay attention in this regard," he further mentioned in the letter.

Noting that recently during an official visit to Raichur he had motivated government doctors to write prescriptions in Kannada, and had directed the Deputy Commissioner there to issue necessary instructions in this regard, the KDA chief said, "After reading about it in the media, hundreds of doctors voluntarily have expressed to me that they will start writing prescriptions in Kannada to save the language."

Bilimale said that several of these doctors even shared with him the prescriptions written by them in Kannada, the official language of Karnataka.

"If government doctors working in health centres, taluk and district hospitals across the state give priority to Kannada while writing prescriptions, it will be a major step towards protecting Kannada identity," Bilimale said, adding that if it is not made mandatory, expected progress cannot be achieved in its implementation. The state government's strong stand will play a key role in this.

In the National Medical Commission Registered Medical Practitioner RMP (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 2023, which was put on hold by the Commission, NMC had specified the guidelines for doctors to write prescriptions, laying down the various Dos and Don'ts, when it comes to writing prescriptions.

In the regulations, NMC had stressed on writing generic prescriptions by doctors only, making violation of the same a punishable offence where punishment can lead to suspension of licence for up to 30 days.

Also Read: How to write a Prescription: Check out NMC's Prescription guidelines for doctors