Tag: Right to Health Bill

  • Rajasthan’s watered-down Right to Health Bill keeps 90 per cent of private hospitals out of ambit

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR:  Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to provide the Right to Health (RTH) to its citizens after the doctors’ strike was withdrawn on Tuesday.

    The doctors on Tuesday called off their fortnight-long agitation after a consensus was arrived at and an eight-point agreement was agreed upon between the government and doctors. The deadlock was ended after doctors held a meeting at the residence of Chief Secretary Usha Sharma.

    Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had said: “I am happy that finally an agreement has been reached between the government and doctors on RTH and Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to implement the same. I hope the relationship between doctors and patients will remain the same in future.”

    The key gains as follows:

    In case of a medical emergency, one will be able to take treatment in any hospital covered under this Bill without giving any pre-payment. If the person is unable to pay after treatment, the government will pay the amount.
    By bringing many hospitals under this ambit, the person who needs immediate medication in case of an emergency will now get it even in private hospitals. The treatment can be given to him in his golden hour. The emergency cases will include road accidents, snake bites and poisoning.
    Patients who will come under the purview of this bill will be able to get facilities like free OPD, IPD and emergency care. The patient will be entitled to access all his records, investigation reports and bills for treatment.
    When the patient has the right to collect the bill for every treatment and facility, then the private hospital or medical college will be saved from collecting that money.
    The other big question is which hospitals are being brought under the ambit of RTH? The hospitals will include:
    All types of government hospitals including all government medical colleges and all private medical colleges of Rajasthan.
    The key takeaways are:

    The private sector has been largely left out of the bill, with only 47 hospitals in the state coming under its purview. There are over 2,000 private hospitals and nursing homes across the state.
    Only 9 private medical college-cum-hospitals in the state will be bound to provide emergency services. Over 90 per cent of private hospitals in the state will now be exempt from providing any kind of free services.
    Only three districts — Jaipur, Udaipur, and Sriganganagar — have 9 medical colleges that will come under the ambit of RTH. 

    JAIPUR:  Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to provide the Right to Health (RTH) to its citizens after the doctors’ strike was withdrawn on Tuesday.

    The doctors on Tuesday called off their fortnight-long agitation after a consensus was arrived at and an eight-point agreement was agreed upon between the government and doctors. The deadlock was ended after doctors held a meeting at the residence of Chief Secretary Usha Sharma.

    Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had said: “I am happy that finally an agreement has been reached between the government and doctors on RTH and Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to implement the same. I hope the relationship between doctors and patients will remain the same in future.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The key gains as follows:

    In case of a medical emergency, one will be able to take treatment in any hospital covered under this Bill without giving any pre-payment. If the person is unable to pay after treatment, the government will pay the amount.
    By bringing many hospitals under this ambit, the person who needs immediate medication in case of an emergency will now get it even in private hospitals. The treatment can be given to him in his golden hour. The emergency cases will include road accidents, snake bites and poisoning.
    Patients who will come under the purview of this bill will be able to get facilities like free OPD, IPD and emergency care. The patient will be entitled to access all his records, investigation reports and bills for treatment.
    When the patient has the right to collect the bill for every treatment and facility, then the private hospital or medical college will be saved from collecting that money.
    The other big question is which hospitals are being brought under the ambit of RTH? The hospitals will include:
    All types of government hospitals including all government medical colleges and all private medical colleges of Rajasthan.
    The key takeaways are:

    The private sector has been largely left out of the bill, with only 47 hospitals in the state coming under its purview. There are over 2,000 private hospitals and nursing homes across the state.
    Only 9 private medical college-cum-hospitals in the state will be bound to provide emergency services. Over 90 per cent of private hospitals in the state will now be exempt from providing any kind of free services.
    Only three districts — Jaipur, Udaipur, and Sriganganagar — have 9 medical colleges that will come under the ambit of RTH. 

  • First draft of right to health and healthcare bill made by private university ready

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The first draft of the Centre’s right to health and healthcare bill that talks about making “free and affordable healthcare” a fundamental right is ready. But instead of being put up for public consultation, it is being circulated among a “select few” for feedback.

    The draft, accessed by The New Indian Express, has been prepared by a private university entrusted with the task by the economic advisory council of the Prime Minister instead of the Union Health Ministry. 

    The Right to Health and Healthcare Bill, 2021, prepared by OP Jindal University has proposed that every individual will have a right to access healthcare services that are free or affordable and available, accessible, acceptable and quality-compliant at “any healthcare establishment”. 

    The draft says every individual will have the right to access and not be denied use of public or private transport services during a public health emergency.

    It also says that no individual will be traced or otherwise subjected to any surveillance without their explicit, autonomous and informed consent while also laying down guidelines for safety, security and working conditions of healthcare workers. Recognising that transgenders and those with different sexual orientation are often mistreated, the bill says they will not be discriminated on such grounds.

    An important aspect of the bill is introducing monitoring governance mechanisms and it says that within six months of the bill coming into effect, health councils from village to national level will be formed. These councils will be crucial for ensuring community participation. 

    Some felt the ‘secrecy’ around the bill may be against norms. “There has been no information related to this. It is shrouded in secrecy and rather than health ministry, a private law university is drafting while no public participation has happened,” said Satendra Singh, a senior faculty with the University College of Medical Sciences and transparency activist.