The stiff resistance put up by the Indian Medical Association and various doctors’ groups gives an indication of the challenges that lie ahead for Rajasthan’s landmark Right to Health legislation. The Bill introduced by the Ashok Gehlot government may have been passed with an eye on the ensuing Assembly elections, but it does mark a big step forward in the quest for equitable and improved healthcare services. By seeking to become the first state to make access to healthcare a legal entitlement for every resident, Rajasthan has set the bar high for itself as well as others. Free services and quality healthcare are guaranteed at all public and select private facilities, especially those allotted land at concessionary costs.
A contentious point in the Bill is that no medical facility, whether government or private, can deny emergency care. There is, however, ambiguity on what constitutes an emergency condition and how the cost of treatment is to be reimbursed to private hospitals. A patient also has the right to choose where to procure medicines from or get a test done. There is a provision for an independent authority to address logistical grievances and ensure the implementation of the treatment protocol. The private sector contends that the Bill encourages bureaucratic control, renders doctors vulnerable to harassment and puts extra burden, saying free services are already being provided under government schemes.
The private sector, according to the official data, caters to 48 per cent of the state’s population. An overhaul of the public health sector is envisioned, but the patient-centric proposals would require more than new rules and regulations to effect change. Even a drastic hike in budgetary provisions and upgradation of rural services will fall short in the absence of a spirit of convergence with healthcare providers, both private and public. Any step that strengthens the rights of patients is welcome. Rajasthan has been pushing the envelope in its public health obligations. The state’s cause would be better served by actively engaging with the medical fraternity to end the unrest and dispel the perception that it is at the receiving end.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/editorials/right-to-health-491800
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