Docs to fight proposed public health legislation

They said the new legislation is nothing short of an attempt to unduly enrich big corporate hospitals at the cost of the patients by ensuring high-cost treatment at government hospitals.

“We are studying and analysing provisions in the draft and holding detailed discussions on the possible implications not only on the medical fraternity,but also on patients and others,” said Dr M R Kanani,president of the Gujarat State Branch of IMA.

“The indifference to problems faced by doctors can be seen from the amount of space devoted to the rights of doctors as compared to those of consumers and other stake holders in the draft legislation,” he said.

What has angered doctors is the provisions of the draft law that empowers medically ignorant persons to decide on justification and correctness or otherwise of professional decisions taken by doctors in the course of their practice,said sources.

“Not only that,it proposes to consider ‘dayans’ (women who help a pregnant woman in giving birth to a child) at par with experts by making them part of the supervisory bodies,” Dr Kanani said.

Another aspect that has left doctors disturbed is the proposal to set up special courts for handling medical offences and to enact stringent penal provisions. Kanani said the existing provisions under the Consumer Protection Act can successfully deter erroneous professionals and there was no need to have additional provisions.

The provisions relating to doctors being sent to police custody are against the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court,he added.

On medical public hearings,which the proposed law provides for,he said the need of the hour is to first educate members of the general public about the technical aspects instead of straightaway opening up a forum to them.

Instead of painting doctors as villains,it is imperative to improve the performance of the government-run hospitals,he said adding,these hospitals won’t be left in the cocoon of official protection once the law cames into effect. Kanani went on to say that due attention should be given to issues relating to taxing hospitals.