From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Updated

Bengaluru/Belagavi, Nov 17: On a day of intense activity and drama with Karnataka High Court asking the private doctors, who have been protesting since Monday against what they termed as 'draconian' provisions in the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Bill, 2017, to call off their strike forthwith, and the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah holding two rounds of doctors with representatives of the striking doctors, the five-day-long strike by private doctors was called off on Friday.

The Chief Minister, who held two rounds of talks with the Indian Medical Association (Karnataka) President H N Ravindra and other leaders of the striking doctors on the sidelines of the ongoing winter session of the State Legislature in Belagavi Suvarna Soudha along with Health and Family Welfare Minister K R Ramesh Kumar and senior government officials, promised to tweak the KPME bill to allay the apprehensions and convinced the striking doctors that the State Government was not interested in harassing them.

After the Chief Minister’s promise, the striking doctors announced their decision to withdraw the strike that has resulted in at least 20 deaths due to non-availability of timely medical treatment. The State Government is understood to have modified some of the controversial provisions in the bill and is likely to table it for discussion in the State Assembly on Monday.

"We are satisfied with the talks," Ravindra told reporters after the talks with the Chief Minister.

Siddaramaiah said all doubts, fear and apprehensions of doctors about the bill, which was necessary for successful implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) in the State. “Karnataka is the first state in the country to implement the UHC. The KPME Bill and the UHC are integrated for ensuring delivering quality health services,” he said.

The Bill was aimed at providing health services to the economically weaker sections of the society. “It is the responsibility of the government to ensure quality health services to citizens of the State. Doctors will cooperate with us. We will cooperate with doctors,” the chief minister said.

Law and Parliamentary Minister T B Jayachandra, Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa, Water Resources Minister M B Patil and several doctors and senior officials attended the meeting.

It is understood that the talks with doctors and the Chief Minister and health minister involved heated exchanges with both sides attacking each other. However, the outcome was finally successful.

Siddaramaiah revealed that the Amendment bill to Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act will be tabled in the state Assembly on Monday with certain modifications.

While admitting that certain changes are being brought to the originally conceived bill, the CM asserted that he is clear in his mind that interests of common people will never be sacrificed at any cost.

"We do not aim at creating problems for private nursing homes and clinics. Our goal is to ensure that general public and weaker sections get medical service without any hitch. Life of everyone is precious, notwithstanding whether the person in need of attention is rich or poor. Our main aim in bringing this ammendment was to achieve this objective. But doctors have expressed apprehension and doubts about certain clauses in the bill," he explained. At the same time, he conceded that he has not yet seen the report submitted by the joint house committee on the issue.

"I will take further steps as may be necessary after studying the said report. The state high court has asked the parties concerned to hold dialogues. We also want to resume talks and carry the dialogue forward. Therefore, after holding discussions, the bill will be brought before the assembly with certain changes," he clarified. Ramesh Kumar added that there is a need for everyone concerned to work towards a consensus in this matter. "We wish that no one suffers from health problems. But this meeting reiterates that when health issues crop up, the government under Siddaramaiah is with the people to support them," he stated.

Indian Medical Association president, Dr Ravindra, said that certain decisions which are sure to make everyone happy have been taken at the meeting, adding that the dialogues have succeeded in ending the face-off. After this meeting, apprehensions the doctors had about the affects of the bill have been cleared, he stated.

Siddaramaiah said that so far the government has not received any complaint about people dying because they did not get medical treatment. He assured that if specific complaints are received, proper action would be initiated.

"We apologise if deaths have occurred because of us. Doctors will bear the brunt of the sin arising out of such deaths," Dr Ravindra said.