BENGALURU: Healthcare services across the State are likely to take a hit on Monday as 40,000 doctors are expected to participate in the ‘Belagavi Chalo’ protest against the proposed Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill.
While emergency, out-patient and surgical services in the major corporate hospitals in the City are to remain unaffected, services would take a hit in nursing homes and clinics. Major players in the sector said that alternative arrangements were made by deploying junior doctors on duty at these hospitals. However, small establishments are likely to remain shut completely.
According to the Indian Medical association, an estimated 8,000 hospitals are likely to remain completely shut.Ajay Seth, additional chief secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, said that though private hospitals had declared a protest, they do not see a shutdown. “Our doctors have been asked to be geared up to face an extra load of patients,” he said.
The doctors are opposing the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which is proposed to be tabled at the Belagavi legislature session beginning on Monday. The Bill proposes to give the government more powers to regulate cost of treatment at private facilities and take action against erring doctors. Private doctors’ associations said their main demand was that the bill apply to government hospitals, too.