Rajasthan became the first state in India to pass the Right to Health (RTH) Bill on 21 March. It was introduced in the Rajasthan Assembly on 22 September 2022. The goal is for every patient to have access to free and quality healthcare irrespective of their ability to pay. The preamble of the Rajasthan Right to Health Care Act 2022 highlights the provision of protection and fulfilment of rights, equity in relation to health and well-being for achieving the goal of health care for all through guaranteed access to quality health care to all the residents of the state without any catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditure. The government of Rajasthan is committed to ensure that people’s right to health care is realized.
The RTH bill has a special poignancy for the private doctors as on 27 March thousands of them took to the streets in Jaipur to protest against it which according to them is a draconian bill. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) assured its support to them. The doctors claim that the bill does not help the patients much, but penalises the doctors and the hospitals. The Act does not mention that the government will reimburse the hospitals. They are worried as how or when the funds will come from the exchequer for reimbursement. Some have criticised the state government saying that the bill has been passed to keep the public in contentment in view of 2023 Rajasthan legislative assembly elections to be held in or before December to garner votes for the Congress party. The party perhaps is playing its trump card to continue in the power. This kind of gimmicks are normally devised by other parties too when the time comes for the state or national elections.
In 1996, the Supreme Court held that the right to life (Article 21) included the right to health within its fold, and also pointed out the obligation of state governments to provide health services. Many private hospitals in India are minting money from the vulnerable patients who helplessly knock at the doors of these hospitals. Since many of the government hospitals lack the medical amenities and infrastructure, the patients have no other alternative than turn to the private hospitals. Here their finances are drained as lots of money is charged for the treatment, medicine, surgery, room etc.
When the doctors take the Hippocratic Oath, they vow to do everything in their power to help to save a life. The Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest binding documents in history. Among the many pledges doctors have to take, here is one: “I will provide care to all patients regardless of sex, race, creed, sexual preference, lifestyle or economic status. In particular I will volunteer some of my time to providing free care to the poor, the homeless, the disadvantaged, the dispossessed and the helpless.” Many doctors, who are known as ‘Knights in White Coats,’ are going an extra mile to stay true to that promise. The RTH bill passed by the Rajasthan government will help the patients to evade their financial constraints as it allows free access to out-patient and in-patient services in all the government and selected private hospitals in the state. The other states in India should emulate the example of Rajasthan government.
