BENGALURU: After four days of uncertainty, patients across the state felt relieved on Saturday morning when the doctors reported to work at private hospitals. They had gone on a strike opposing the state government’s move to amend the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act to regulate the functioning of private hospitals.
The doctors withdrew the strike after their representatives met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state government officials in Belagavi on Friday. “The government has responded in a positive way and fulfilled our demands. We did not conduct any further meeting after the one at Belagavi,” said Dr H.N. Ravindra, President, IMA.
As per the doctors' request, there will be some modification in the proposed amendment to the KPME Act, 2007, which will be tabled in the assembly on Monday.
However, health activists are not happy with the government move to water down the amendment and have threatened further protest. Vinay Srinivas, a health activist said, “More dependency on the private hospitals has led to this kind of effect. Use the funds to develop the government hospitals, instead of spending on the schemes. The irony is that Chief Minister is sitting with the doctors instead of sitting with the families, whose relatives died because of these doctors. We will see what happens on Monday, depending on that we will hold protests.”
During the strike private hospitals had stopped treating out-patients, while they continued treating emergency cases and in-patients. However, during the strike 10 deaths were reported from various parts of the state allegedly due to lack of timely treatment.
