After the agreement between the striking doctors and the Ashok Gehlot government regarding the right to health in Rajasthan, the way for its implementation was paved. Many times, many schemes that are good from the ethical and legal point of view have been a victim of opposition based on professional and business interests. The protests against the right to health in Rajasthan were born out of some baseless misunderstandings but the agreement between the doctors and the state government on the important bill is a pleasant and satisfying sign. It is expected that now government and private hospitals will jointly make it successful. The “Rajasthan Model of Public Health” will emerge only after the successful implementation of the right to health on the ground. The right to health is fully in line with the constitutional guarantee of the right to life and other elements mentioned in the policy-directive principles. It is an accepted belief that no one seeking health care should be denied it on the basis of access and affordability. Rajasthan’s “Right to Health Act, 2022” addresses these key issues of access and affordability. The Act intends to “protect and fulfill the rights in terms of health and wellness without any exorbitant expenditure to achieve the goal of universal healthcare by guaranteeing quality healthcare to all residents of the State”. The law, which also provides for a ‘social audit’ and grievance redressal, entitles every resident of the state to get emergency treatment from any health care provider without paying a penny and specified Provides that private institutions providing healthcare will be compensated for the charges incurred on such treatment. Rajasthan has become the first state to pass the Right to Health Bill, which provides every resident of the state access to all public health facilities. Save OPD in
The right to health is an essential component of human dignity. The Supreme Court in its landmark judgment in 1989 in Parmanand Katara vs Union of India had said that every doctor, whether in a government hospital or elsewhere, has a professional obligation to render his services with due expertise to save life. In the West Bengal Khet Mazdoor Samiti case in 1996, the Supreme Court held that the primary duty of the government in a welfare state is to ensure the welfare of the people and provide them with adequate medical facilities. Although there are continuous improvements in the health sector, yet the infrastructure in the rural areas of the country is still inadequate.
The number of beds in India is 140 per 1000 people. There is only one doctor for 1445 people. More than 75% of the healthcare infrastructure is concentrated in metro cities, where only 27% of the total population lives. 73% of the Indian population lacks basic medical facilities. Although new AIIMS are being built in the country. We have got to learn a lot during the corona pandemic. A lot still remains to be done in this direction. But it is certain that the initiative taken by Rajasthan is exemplary. This should be followed by every state to save human lives. If this law is implemented across the country, then the medical scenario of the country will change. The dream of right to health will be fulfilled only when the poor people and marginalized people get the benefit of the quality health services of the state governments. The private sector always looks at its profit. Handing over bills to the patients has become their routine. This scheme will not be fruitful until the private sector adopts service. For this, it is necessary that the government and the private sector maintain constant dialogue and engagement. Many states of India have plans on health, but those plans do not reach the common man, but its process is so complicated that people are unable to complete the process and get trapped in the trap of private hospitals. He has to be forced and empowered by giving so that any private and government institution remains under his ambit so that the citizens get their rights…..
