TIWN Feb 22, 2020
AGARTALA / NEW DELHI, Feb 22 (TIWN): Tripura is reeling under severe protests after free medical health services were scrapped in all the existing top Government hospitals when quality Health Services are downing across state amid Doctors’ much attempts. Sources said, scrapping Free Medical Services are part of revenue generation and also to call more numbers of private hospitals in state. Right now, there is no attempt to improve the quality of health services, raises eyebrows whether the logic of pushing patients to private hospitals is the cause of unavailable medical services just like Generic medicine centres do not keep stocks which helps the hospital lined medicine shops to sale costly medicines ? Tripura Govt is under massive controversy after it scrapped one after one free medical facilities from its Govt hospitals. After BJP Govt under Health Ministry of Biplab Deb scraped Free Medical Services from Govt hospitals, it has now imposed charges on ICU beds regardless APL and BPL families. But experts say that Indians do have their right to live and right to health and article 21 has those provision.
The notification was issued on 10th February, 2020 with a fresh signature of 17th February, 2020 from the day of effect. No.F.2. (496)-Med/User Charges/ 2017/27614-54 said, “With reference to the meeting held on 31/10/19 at AGMC and GBP hospital chaired by Secretary, Health & Family Welfare it has been decided that the ICU bed-charges of AGMC and GBP hospital will be applicable as per Govt notification vide no. F.1 (1138)-DHS/2016/3591(V-II) dated 19-7-2019 with immediate effect. “The bed charges of ICU is Rs. 500 per day for APL patients and Rs. 250 per day for BPL patients”, said the circular.
“The Constitution incorporates provisions guaranteeing everyone’s right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees protection of life and personal liberty to every citizen. The Supreme Court has held that the right to live with human dignity, enshrined in Article 21, derives from the directive principles of state policy and therefore includes protection of health . Further, it has also been held that the right to health is integral to the right to life and the government has a constitutional obligation to provide health facilities”, say the Law.
“Failure of a government hospital to provide a patient timely medical treatment results in violation of the patient’s right to life. Similarly, the Court has upheld the state’s obligation to maintain health services”, it says.
Not only nation but what BJP Govt is doing is violation of international human rights law.
Special Articles
Sanjay Majumder
Anirban Mitra