The standoff between the private doctors agitating against the Rajasthan Right to Health bill passed in the assembly a day ago and the state government continued on Wednesday with the health minister out rightly rejecting the demand to withdraw it.
The bill was passed in the Rajasthan Assembly with amendments made according to the report of the select committee of the House, which also incorporated the suggestions given by the doctors.
According to the provisions of the Rajasthan Right to Health Bill, 2022, every resident will have the right to emergency treatment and care “without prepayment” at any “public health institution, health care establishment and designated health care centres”.
There are total 20 rights mentioned in the bill.
Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena on Tuesday said Rajasthan is the first state in the country where such a bill has been passed after consultation with the select committee in which suggestions of doctors were also incorporated but now private doctors are demanding its withdrawal which is totally unjustified.
Following apprehensions from MLAs, the bill was referred to the select committee after it was introduced in September last year. The amendments were made and the bill was passed accordingly post a detailed discussion by the select committee.
“There is not a single suggestion of the doctors which was not considered by the committee. We have incorporated all of their suggestions but later they started demanding the complete withdrawal of the bill which is not justified,” the minister told reporters Wednesday.
He said BJP members also gave suggestions regarding the bill which was passed with the consent of all.
“There are several differences between the bill which was originally introduced and the bill which was passed. One-to-one meetings with the doctors took place, chief secretary, and health secretary individually talked to the doctors and sought their suggestions. The government has already considered their suggestion but despite that, they are agitating,” he said.
The minister categorically said that the bill will not be withdrawn and its rules will be framed soon to provide the right to health to the people.
