B'luru: Private doctors call off strike against Private Medical Establishments Bill

Bengaluru: The doctors of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) on Thursday called off their strike against the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had called on state Health Minister Ramesh Kumar to discuss the doctors' strike.

The chief minister has also invited the Indian Medical Association (IMA) representatives for a discussion on on Friday.

The private doctors are against the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill and are pressing for dropping the contentious four provisions in the Bill.

The Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act, 2007 was passed with the aim of regulating private sector medical establishments.

The Act mandates registration of all private medical establishments, charts out the obligations like maintaining records, prescribes minimum standards of facilities and services provided in the private medical establishment and mandates displaying rates of various procedures.

But the Act has no teeth, say health activists. PHANA represents 327 private hospitals in Bengaluru.