Pvt hospitals to shut OPDs today to protest KPME Bill (Video)

Outpatient services in private hospitals across Karnataka will remain closed  from  8 am on Friday to 8 am on Saturday.  

The hospitals are protesting against the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Bill which was tabled in the Assembly  last June.

The protest backed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will see all private medical establishments sparing only the skeletal staff for emergency admissions.  

"We will be closing down all private medical establishments, including blood banks and small medical institutions. But the treatment will continue for patients who have already been admitted and for emergencies," said  Dr Veeranna B, president of IMA, Karnataka.  

He said the government had gone ahead with the KPME Bill by "disregarding" the discussions with the joint select committee to make changes in it. "If there is no assurance even after the protest, we will wait for a few days and then will close down all our establishments permanently."

The association wants  certain amendments in the bill.  "We want the government to consider some of our demands on the capping of charges, the imprisonment of doctors and the  inclusion of government hospitals in the bill among others," Dr K H Jnanendrappa, president, IMA, Bengaluru branch, said.