Bhatkal: Private Doctors along with all medical staff to go on strike on Nov 3

Bhatkallys News Bureau/ I. Zaorez Shabab Bhatkal 31 Oct 2017: Indian Medical Association (IMA) along with all private doctors along with their medical staff across the state has called a bandh on Friday November 3 to protest against state government's decision to implement Karnataka Private Medical Establishment act (KPMEA) which is expected to be tabled in Karnataka assembly on 13th November. In a press conference organized at Rabita Society office on Tuesday evening, Dr. RV Saraf, President IMA Bhatkal unit, and Dr. Chetan Kalkumara (Secretary IMA Bhatkal) announced the decision of IMA to call a state-wide protest to fight against the 'Injustice' being carried out against them by the state government. KPMEA once approved and implemented, will reschedule the charges of doctors and hospitals as per the government scheme, and will also entertain complaints from patients against doctors and will have the authority to take action of upto three years of imprisonment and fine for doctors found guilty of as small case as making a patient wait at his clinic. According to Dr. Saraf, implementation of KPMEA will put restrictions on the private doctors and will put them in a state of pressure while delivering their duties, which shall not happen. He further added KPMEA implementation will account for increase in corruption and black money market while the doctors will always be under threat from Mafias and chances are the doctors will also be blackmailed for no reason just to get money out from them. Dr. Chetan, further elaborated that the IMA will agree to abide by the KPMEA if the government decide to include Government and corporate hospitals and doctors under the act which is not the case currently. Dr. Chetan further lambasted the state government for not including corporate and government hospitals and said if the government really want to implement the act then it should be uniformly implemented on all including government and corporate medical entities, the charges at private clinics and hospitals are based on the expertise and experience of the doctors and the government should not interfere in it. He then added, 80% of patients across the country prefer private clinics over government hospitals so the scope for improvement is for government hospital before private. Dr. Yaseen Mohtesham and Dr. Noorul Ameen, were also present along with Dr. Saraf and Dr. Chetan at the press conference.