Private Doctors to Hold Belagavi Chalo Rally Against KPME Bill 2017

Bengaluru: Members of Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Karnataka have decided to hold Belagavi Chalo rally on November 13 if the state government opts to table The Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill – 2017 in winter session of state legislature in Belagavi. The private doctors have also demanded the government to implement retired chief justice Vikramjit Sen committee report immediately and have urged not to implement the proposed bill to be tabled in the session.

Prior to the rally, the private doctors have decided to hold talks with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Health Minister KR Ramesh Kumar in Bengaluru inconnection with the issues related to the bill. If IMA gets negative response from the government after the talks, then it would opt for a rally followed by a hunger strike from November 14, IMA, Karnataka Branch Honorary Secretary Dr B Veeranna said.

As many as 25, 000 protesters including doctors, paramedic staff and others from various parts of the state will participate in the massive rally called on November 13 and all outpatients units in Karnataka will remain closed for the day. However, inpatient services will continue as usual.  The decision to continue with current protests against the proposed bill was taken at a meeting of members of IMA in the state capital on Sunday.

The doctors are expected to find new ways of protests to put pressure on the government to prevent it from implementing the bill as an act which regulates medical bills, activities of private hospitals and others in an attempt to provide better healthcare facilities to the poor.