The Fight Over Who’ll Pay Hospital Bills Of India’s Poor

For two weeks recently, tens of thousands of private doctors in Rajasthan protested against a landmark bill which guarantees a right to health for the northern Indian state’s 80 million people.

Sunday 09 April 2023 | 20:43

Staff Writer

Private doctors had called the bill draconian. Photos: BBC News

For two weeks recently, tens of thousands of private doctors in Rajasthan protested against a landmark bill which guarantees a right to health for the northern Indian state’s 80 million people.

The protests crippled private healthcare services and public hospitals were overwhelmed by patients. On Tuesday, the state government said it had reached an agreement with the doctors, prompting them to call off the strike.

What had raised the hackles of the protesters was a provision in the law that made it mandatory for public and private hospitals to offer emergency treatment to people, the costs of which would be later reimbursed by the government.