Pvt hospitals boycott RGHS after doctor’s arrest; IMA calls 24-hour shutdown

JAIPUR: Private hospital associations and doctors’ bodies in Rajasthan on Monday announced an immediate boycott of services under the Rajasthan Govt Health Scheme (RGHS) after the arrest of Dr Sondev Bansal over alleged irregularities a day earlier, and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) called a 24-hour shutdown of private healthcare services across the state.The IMA’s Rajasthan branch announced a “complete bandh” of OPD, IPD and emergency services in private hospitals from 8 am on April 14 to 8 am on April 15 to protest the arrest.At a meeting chaired by IMA Rajasthan state president Dr Mahesh Chandra Sharma, representatives of private hospitals unanimously decided to stop generating new transaction IDs (TID) under RGHS. Patients already admitted will continue to receive treatment, but hospitals will not issue a fresh TID if required.The boycott will continue until Dr Bansal is released and issues linked to the alleged discrepancies are resolved.The protest has been backed by the Rajasthan Alliance of Hospital Associations, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHNHA), UPCHAR, Indian Medical Association, AHPI Rajasthan and PHNHS.Dr Sharma said the arrest had created fear and resentment in the medical community and called action taken without dialogue and a fair process unjust, warning it could disrupt healthcare services. He said doctors had decided that if any doctor is arrested in future over alleged irregularities in any government scheme, doctors across Rajasthan would “completely boycott treatment services.”IMA Rajasthan zonal secretary Dr Anurag Sharma said there was “deep anger” among doctors across the state. He said the medical board formed in the matter had not found any medical negligence, yet criminal action had been taken against a reputed doctor over what he described as alleged minor RGHS irregularities, adding that the arrest had hurt the dignity and morale of the fraternity.PHNHA representative Dr Vijay Kapoor said the arrest was made without due legal process and without giving Dr Bansal an opportunity to be heard. He alleged the doctor was treated “like a hardened criminal,” triggering outrage among doctors statewide.Dr Kapoor warned that if Dr Bansal is not released immediately, the protest could escalate into a statewide shutdown of medical services.The move is expected to disrupt fresh approvals and admissions for RGHS beneficiaries at empanelled private hospitals.