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The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Northeast | Bill for right to healthcare
Bill for right to healthcare
- 24-hr free emergency service mooted
A STAFF REPORTER
Himanta Biswa Sarma: Revolutionary step
Guwahati, March 11: The Assam government today moved a bill to make emergency treatment free for the first 24 hours in all hospitals, including private ones and nursing homes.
Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the bill was the first step towards making healthcare a fundamental right and hoped that it would revolutionise the health sector in the state.
He said under the Assam Public Health Bill, 2010, all hospitals or health establishments would have to provide free healthcare to an emergency patient of any kind for the first 24 hours.
The basic idea is to ensure that in case of any emergency, a patient who is in an extremely serious condition immediately gets treatment in any hospital for the first 24 hours free of cost, he said.
Patients who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals can later be shifted to a government hospital after getting immediate necessary treatment for the first 24 hours in a private hospital, which is very crucial in saving lives.
Sarma said after the bill is passed in the Assembly, rules would be framed to define emergency under the legislation. The bill will come up for discussion in the Assembly on March 31.
The bill seeks to provide protection and fulfilment of rights in relation to health and well-being, health equity and justice for achieving the goal of health for all, he said.
The bill prescribes remedial measures in case a patient fails to receive attention in a government hospital or health establishment because of absence of doctors or any other medical staff.
These measures will be finalised and incorporated in the rules to be framed under this legislation.
Sarma said such patients would be entitled to monetary compensation.
The bill also states that every patient has the right to have the complete medical records of at least two years pertaining to his case to be maintained by the service provider (hospitals).
Sarma said the bill provides for the constitution of a state public health board at the state level and district public health boards at the district level to ensure implementation and monitoring of the provisions of healthcare system.
The chairperson of the state public health board will be the chief secretary while that of a district public health board will be the deputy commissioner of the district.
The bill also provides for fixing responsibility and accountability of departments or agencies in case of repeated outbreaks or recurrence of communicable, viral and waterborne diseases because of failure to improve sanitation and safe drinking facilities.
It states that health impact assessment would have to be generated for all new development projects to study the impact of the projects on the health of the people.
Sarma claimed that Assam was the first state to bring such a bill that makes access to healthcare so far treated as charity a right of the people.
Bill for right to healthcare
- 24-hr free emergency service mooted
A STAFF REPORTER
Himanta Biswa Sarma: Revolutionary step
Guwahati, March 11: The Assam government today moved a bill to make emergency treatment free for the first 24 hours in all hospitals, including private ones and nursing homes.
Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the bill was the first step towards making healthcare a fundamental right and hoped that it would revolutionise the health sector in the state.
He said under the Assam Public Health Bill, 2010, all hospitals or health establishments would have to provide free healthcare to an emergency patient of any kind for the first 24 hours.
The basic idea is to ensure that in case of any emergency, a patient who is in an extremely serious condition immediately gets treatment in any hospital for the first 24 hours free of cost, he said.
Patients who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals can later be shifted to a government hospital after getting immediate necessary treatment for the first 24 hours in a private hospital, which is very crucial in saving lives.
Sarma said after the bill is passed in the Assembly, rules would be framed to define emergency under the legislation. The bill will come up for discussion in the Assembly on March 31.
The bill seeks to provide protection and fulfilment of rights in relation to health and well-being, health equity and justice for achieving the goal of health for all, he said.
The bill prescribes remedial measures in case a patient fails to receive attention in a government hospital or health establishment because of absence of doctors or any other medical staff.
These measures will be finalised and incorporated in the rules to be framed under this legislation.
Sarma said such patients would be entitled to monetary compensation.
The bill also states that every patient has the right to have the complete medical records of at least two years pertaining to his case to be maintained by the service provider (hospitals).
Sarma said the bill provides for the constitution of a state public health board at the state level and district public health boards at the district level to ensure implementation and monitoring of the provisions of healthcare system.
The chairperson of the state public health board will be the chief secretary while that of a district public health board will be the deputy commissioner of the district.
The bill also provides for fixing responsibility and accountability of departments or agencies in case of repeated outbreaks or recurrence of communicable, viral and waterborne diseases because of failure to improve sanitation and safe drinking facilities.
It states that health impact assessment would have to be generated for all new development projects to study the impact of the projects on the health of the people.
Sarma claimed that Assam was the first state to bring such a bill that makes access to healthcare so far treated as charity a right of the people.
