Doctors call off strike on Govt's assurance of amendments in KPME Bill

Bengaluru: The protesting private doctors called off their strike after a two-hour meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday and an assurance that some clauses of the KPME Bill, 2017, would be modified before it is tabled on Monday.

CM Siddaramaiah addressing media said “The doctors had fears and doubts, which have been clarified and we have agreed to make some changes,”

Narayana Hrudayalaya founder Dr Devi Prasad Shetty and Manipal Hospitals chairman Dr H Sudarshan Ballal were among those who represented private medical establishments at the meeting. A revised Bill will be tabled in the Assembly on November 20, Siddaramaiah said.

The revised bill will be tabled in an Assembly on 20 Novemeber.

The amendments include: Removal of the imprisonment clause, the grievance redressal committee will not handle clinical complaints and lastly, the government will fix cost for procedures that come under government insurance schemes only.