Strengthen government hospitals, demand protesters

Members of the DYFI Dakshina Kannada unit have demanded strengthening government hospitals, a government medical college in Dakshina Kannada and control of private hospitals.

The members staged a protest in front of DC's office in Mangaluru, on Monday.

The protesters also demanded measures to check and control private hospitals in the state. A memorandum was submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah through Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil.

Addressing the protesters, CPM leader Sunil Kumar Bajal said that the exorbitant fee of private hospitals is an inconvenience to the poor patients. "Owing to shortage of funds, government hospitals do not have enough staff and facilities. As a result, the common man does not get proper treatment at government hospitals. In the name of various tests, private hospitals collect exorbitant fees from patients," he said.

"Bowing to pressure from the doctors fraternity, the government has withdrawn several key points from the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act 2007. As a result, there will be no control over private hospitals, which have been harassing the patients' families by denying to hand over the bodies for failing to pay the fees. The doctors should be humane," he said.

The protesters said that in the era of liberalisation and privatisation, the government has been engaged in slowly privatising education and health. The funds earmarked for both sectors have been declining over the years. Although the state government had passed the KPME Act 2007, no action has been initiated to strengthen government hospitals in the state so far.

"The government has not worked to display the cost of treatment for different services in private hospitals. It has also failed to provide facilities in PHCs, community health centres, taluk and district hospitals. Owing to such negligence, the government hospitals are in pathetic condition in the state. There is acute shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in government hospitals. The government has also failed to establish government medical colleges in each district. Further, the doctors who spend crores of rupees to get a degree don't serve in government hospitals," said the protesters.