Private Medical Body Threatens Mass Shutdown Of Hospitals In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: At a time when the State government is aiming to fix its own shoddy healthcare through Mo Sarkar initiative, the private medical institutions in the State, some of which have been facing flak over alleged irregularities in healthcare services, have put forth a slew of demands before the government and issued a warning for mass shutdown if their demands are not met before 30th September.

As per reports, the Private Medical Establishment Forum, state's premier management body of private healthcare institutions has been demanding the state government to expedite the registration process of private hospitals and insurance claims under its various schemes, like Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) for quite some days.

Apart from that, the body has also been demanding the government to change its policy and provide security to the doctors and other staffs of private hospitals in line with the Government hospitals and its doctors.

The delays on part of the government in disbursing the BSKY money have reportedly affected the treatment of the patients adversely, the forum alleged.

Doctor Ajay Kumar Mishra, President All Odisha Private Medical Establishment Forum said, "We have issued an ultimatum to the state government that they should take action within a month otherwise we will be forced to take stringent measures like shutting all the private medicals down."

Meanwhile, justifying the demands, the Odisha wing of Indian Medical Association has also come out in support of the forum.

"The forum has the right to take up their demands to every level and if the government still ignores it, we will fully support their strike," said Dr. Janmanjaya Mohapatra, Secretary of IMA, Odisha Wing.