BELAGAVI: The doctors continued with their protest on Monday despite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assuring them an amendment in the bill. Urging the doctors to give up their protest against the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (Amendment) Bill, which is due to be tabled this winter session, the CM assured to bring an amendment to the bill. However, he added that there is no question of withdrawing it. The doctors want this amendment to be dropped.
During a meeting with the agitating doctors, Siddaramaiah said the government will bring in amendments in respect to punishing the doctors. He assured that he will speak to the members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) before introducing the bill. “We do not intend to put you in trouble; we do not intend to harm you. Do not fear,” he said and added, “This is not aimed at harassing the doctors,” he added.
The doctors told Siddaramaiah that the law is draconian in nature and will lead to the closure of several small nursing homes.
Dr Nityananda Rao, president, Karnataka Orthopedic Association, who led the doctors’ delegation, told Siddaramaiah that according to the Knowledge Commission, private practice contributes to 76 per cent of medical treatment in the state and the remaining is by government hospitals. “Capping prices will ruin private practices so we urge you not to club government schemes with private practices,” he said.
Stating that he will hold a meeting with the health minister and IMA members once again, he said the law is aimed at helping the poor.The doctors will go for a hunger strike starting Tuesday.
‘Health minister is a demon’
Eshwarappa called Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar a ‘Rakhsas’ (demon), who is all set to table an amendment to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act, without knowing anything about the medical sector. He was addressing the thousands of doctors participating in the ‘Chalo Belagavi’ protest.JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy said the chief minister is taking a decision without a thorough study. He added that Ramesh is not eligible to be the health minister. “If the government does not want to consider the recommendations, why did it form the committee?” he asked.