Mangaluru/Udupi, Nov 2: Doctors in private hospitals in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts will strike work for 24 hours from 6 a.m. on November 3 to register their protest against the Karnataka government’s move to amend The Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act 2007.
Raghavendra Bhat, president, Dakshina Kannada unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said that pharmacies in the district have also assured of supporting the State-wide bandh called by State unit of the IMA.
Dr Yusuf Kumble, President, Nursing Homes & Hospital Management Associations, stated in a release that all private hospitals will reamin closed for 24 hours and all doctors and emergency departments will be on leave.
He urged all general public to support this strike and requested all local patients to get treated in government hospitals. He also appealed the patients from Kerala to get treated in Kerala itself on that day.
In Udupi
Dr Y Sudharshan Rao, president of Udupi-Karavali branch of Indian Medical Association (IMA), said that all private medical and dental establishments would voluntarily remain closed in Udupi district.
Rao told media persons said that even emergency services in all private hospitals in the district would be unavailable on that day, barring the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal where they would be available in the interests of patients.
The IMA had objections to some clauses in the Act. It was opposed to reducing the term of registration of private medical establishments to three years from the existing five under the Act. This had no logical basis and would increase corruption and promote “licence raj”.
‘Patients Charter’
Adding an improperly defined “Patients Charter” would create confusion and damage the patient-doctor relationship.
When the private medical establishments and doctors were already answerable to the Medical Council, District Registration Authority, consumer court, civil and criminal courts, there was no justification in adding one more investigating agency called the District Redressal Forum, with powers of a civil court.
Another clause of fixation of “fee structure,” giving prior “estimates”, before treatment and handing over bodies without receiving dues would affect the day-to-day functioning of private medical institutions. This would affect speedy and timely treatment for patients.
With high penalties and jail term of five years for simple irregularities, doctors would have to work under stress.
The proposed amendment would damage the healthcare system maintained by private establishments, Dr Rao said.
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