Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Vulnerable Populations have to be Specially Protected under Rajasthan Right to Health (RTH) Act 2022- IDS Jaipur.
The Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur (IDSJ) organized a Consultative Workshop (22-05-2023) for framing rules for RTH 2022 for the consideration of the Government of Rajasthan. More than 80% of the STs and SCs Population live in rural Rajasthan. As the hospitals with less than 50 beds have been excluded from the purview of the RTH Act 2022, more than 90 per cent of hospitals in rural Rajasthan has been excluded from the ambit of the Act 2022. To make the Health Act more effective coverage, investment in infrastructure and deployment of health personnel in the primary health centres have been substantially increased from its present 6 % of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Rajasthan to a minimum of 10%. He added further that there are several concerns in the Act 2022, such as the definition of the Resident of Rajasthan, Grievance Redressal Committee, proximity to health care centres especially for STs, transport and transaction cost of patients, concerns of the hospitals in the private sector etc. have to be corrected through Rules and procedures for the RTH 2022.
Prof. Mohana Kumar, S (Director, IDS Jaipur) presented the draft rules for the RTH 2022 for the consideration of the Government. Dr Prem Kumar, Dr Khushboo Sharma, Dr Narendra Gupta and Chhaya Pachauli from Jan Swasthya Abhiyan and representatives of various governmental and non-governmental organizations, viz., Dr Sharad Iyengar, Nikhil Dey, Dr Pavitra Mohan, Anand Grover, Dr Himanshu Bhusan, Pallavi Gupta, Dhvani Mehta, Kavita Srivastava, Priyam Liz etc. participated in the discussion. Prof. Mohankumar S. inaugurated the workshop. Since the Act has already been passed, shortfalls in the RTH 2022 can be corrected through rules.
The right to health in other states like Assam (passed in 2010) could not be implemented because of the absence of effective rules and action plans. Rajasthan may learn a lesson from other states and ensure that SCs, STs, migrant workers, De-Notified Tribes (DNT), transgender and homeless, and other such groups of people who fail to possess documentary proof of Rajasthan are not excluded from the ambit of the Act. Based on the discussions held in the workshop.
Mohanakumar,S.
