BELAGAVI: The stand-off between the state government and striking doctors in private medical establishments ended on Friday after the state government agreed to soften provisions of the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Amendment Bill. The revised bill will be tabled in both houses of the legislature on Monday.The two sides were forced to relent as deaths continued to mount due to the almost week-long agitation by doctors.
On Friday itself, seven patients allegedly died due to lack of treatment. Expressing displeasure, the Karnataka High Court had threatened to pass stringent orders to bring the doctors back to work. The decision to end the strike was announced after a two-hour-long meeting between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and representatives of doctors’ associations.
According to sources, the state government has agreed to make changes in the penal clause of the KPME Bill by scrapping the provision for a jail term ranging from 6 months to 5 years for doctors who violate the rules and instead introduce monetary fine clause for up to two violations. However, if a third offence is committed, the bill entails cancelling licence of the errant doctor or medical establishment.
The state government has also agreed to drop the provision for constituting an Appellate Authority to act on complaints from the patients against the medical establishments. However it will go ahead with constitution of District or Metropolitan Grievances Redressal Committees. Committees will see representation by doctors.
While the clause on compulsory display of a board of rates for various medical services at the entrance of the establishments would remain, the system of fixing the rates would be tweaked a bit to address the concerns of private medical establishments. However, most of these provisions would apply to health services being offered under various government schemes.
The meeting witnessed heated exchanges between the doctors and Health Minister KR Ramesh Kumar. The minister vented his ire at the doctors saying their strike resulted in the deaths of many innocent patients. While doctors were not ready to buy this argument, an emotionally charged Ramesh Kumar said it was the government that was accountable to the public and not doctors.
WATERED-DOWN BILL
Jail term of six months to five years for doctors who violate rules turned into monetary
fine. Docs will have to pay fine for two repeat offences.
A third violation will entail licence cancellation of doctor or private establishment
No more Appellate Authority to act on complaints from patients
Grievances Redressal Committees to include representatives from the doctors
Rates of various medical services may be tweaked a bit