From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Updated

Bengaluru, Nov 13: With thousands of doctors in all private hospitals and clinics across Karnataka striking work affecting the out-patient services in protest against the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Bill, which was introduced in the State Legislative Assembly meeting for the 10-day winter session at the Belagavi Suvarna Vidhana Soudha from Monday, indications are that the State Government may tone down some of the most contentious provisions in the bill in order to buy peace with the medical fraternity.

As a large number of striking private doctors staged a day-long hunger strike at a specially erected pandal near the Suvarna Vidhana Soundha ahead of the commencement of the winter session of the State Legislature, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah later met a delegation of striking doctors led by State President of Indian Medical Association Dr H N Ravindra along with Cabinet Ministers M B Patil, H K Patil, T B Jayachandra and senior officials.

"The State Government does not intend to trouble the medical fraternity," Siddaramaiah said and requested the striking doctors to call off their agitation. "We will take steps to address your genuine grievances and hold discussions with you over the bill. We don’t want to harass the doctors but only want to protect the interests of the poor," he assured.

However, the striking doctors decided to continue their protest until the State Government came forward with concrete steps to address the demands, Dr Ravindra told reporters pointing out that they have already conveyed all their objections to State Health Minister Ramesh Kumar and have demanded the personal intervention of the Chief Minister to resolve the issue. "We will not accept the draconian provisions in the bill," he declared.

Striking doctors are demanding capping of prices to be limited only to government health schemes as 76 per cent patients under the government schemes are attended by private hospitals and nursing homes.

Private hospitals throughout the State had put up notices at their entrances warning the patients that the medical services will be affected and the out-patient facilities will not be available due to the strike by doctors.

State Health Secretary Ajay Seth has directed all government hospitals to depute more doctors in all government hospitals and primary health centres all over the State to cope with the rush of people from private hospitals and clinics for treatment.

The striking doctors are firm in their demands for dropping the stringent provisions such as capping prices for services, jail term and hefty penalty for erring doctors in the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Bill, 2017.

The Belagavi district administration has clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code and has banned demonstrations within a radius of one kilometre from the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.

Apart from the striking doctors, the farmers under the banner of Rajya Raitha Sangha, the Action Committee for landless and homeless are holding protests near Suvarna Soudha and Kannada activists staged a protest at Rani Chennamma Circle in Belagavi protesting Maha Melav organised by Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES).

Though the State Government has not officially conveyed its decision to the striking doctors, official sources indicated that some of the provisions might be relaxed as part of the efforts to buy peace with the medical fraternity.

Health Minister Ramesh Kumar, who has been vigorously spearheading the bill, stayed off the brief discussions that the Chief Minister had with the striking doctors and said it is for the State Legislature to decide.