CPI(M) to hold protest in Mangaluru against tie up of govt hospitals with private medical colleges on May 14

Mangaluru: Demanding the cancellation of agreements between government hospitals and private medical colleges, and calling for strengthening public healthcare facilities, the Dakshina Kannada district unit of the CPI(M) will organize a massive protest rally in Mangaluru from Ambedkar Circle to Clock Tower on May 14 at 10:30 am. 

Speaking to mediapersons, CPI(M) secretary Muneer Katipalla termed the move as a retrograde step aimed at completely privatising the public healthcare sector. The party demanded the state government to immediately withdraw the agreement entered into with private medical colleges and instead strengthen government hospitals by appointing  doctors and ensuring availability of medicines, and other basic facilities directly through the government.

The party alleged that handing over government hospitals to private medical institutions would lead to a major crisis in the healthcare sector in the future. The move would result in the complete privatisation and commercialisation of healthcare services, depriving common people, low-income groups, and the lower middle class of affordable healthcare, added the party.

Katipalla pointed out that private medical institutions and colleges already dominate the healthcare sector in Dakshina Kannada district. Government hospitals and primary health centres in the district have been neglected without even minimum medicines and doctors being provided. He said the neglect was part of a deliberate attempt to pave the way for handing over government hospitals to private medical colleges. It noted that agreements have now been finalised to transfer the community health centres at Moodbidri and Vittal, along with the taluk hospitals at Bantwal and Belthangady, to private medical colleges under the pretext of ensuring better quality services.

In the next phase, protests will also be organised at the taluk and hobli levels across the district. He said that the party would intensify the agitation in association with pro-people organisations and like-minded political parties.

When asked on opposition to MoUs with the private medical colleges, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the government entered tie ups to provide better health care facilities.