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The Maharashtra government has been slow in enforcing patients’ rights and legislation to regulate nursing homes, leaving it to NGOs like the Jan Arogya Abhiyan to set up a patients’ forum and draw up a charter of rights
The Jan Arogya Abhiyan, a collective of health NGOs, will launch a state-level forum for patients’ rights in Pune, Maharashtra, on July 19, 2009. This is the first such forum in the country. The forum will “help patients and support their rights. Awareness about patients’ rights and addressing their grievances is the main aim,” said Dr Abhay Shukla of Sathi-Cehat, an organising member of the forum. Among the other NGOs involved are aarogya.com, Rachna Trust, Saheli, Lokayat and Masum. Some of the issues that the forum will address are guiding patients who want medical help, as well as those who want to register a protest about treatment they have received and initiate a dialogue with the concerned hospital. At a time when the medical industry is expanding fast, patients should know their rights and where to report any denial of rights by doctors or health facilities, Dr Shukla said. Dialogue between doctors and patients too should be encouraged. “Establishment of patients’ rights will improve the healthcare system,” he added. A charter of patients’ rights too has been drawn up. It includes the right of access to healthcare, right to information about the state of one’s health, treatment, etc, the right to participate in decision-making regarding course of treatment, the right to respect and dignity, the right to privacy and confidentiality, the right to a safe and healthy hospital environment, and the right to make complaints and seek redress. An online petition demanding these rights was recently sent to Maharashtra Health Minister Rajendra Shingne. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan is also questioning the government’s inaction in passing the new rules under the Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act (BNHRA), which was amended in 2005. The BNHRA is the only Act for registration and inspection of private nursing homes in the state of Maharashtra. The new rules pertain to standardisation of care in private hospitals; they cover issues of patients’ rights such as the right to emergency medical care, the right to information, and the freedom to take a second opinion. It will help, for instance, in cases where an AIDS patient is refused treatment in a private facility. This would be a clear violation of the patient’s rights and can be redressed if the rules are passed. The state government, however, has been delaying approval of the new rules. When health activists met the then State Health Minister Vimal Mundada in February 2008, she promised that the rules would be passed within two months. More than a year later, there is still no action. On the other hand, an ordinance was speedily passed giving legal protection to doctors who were being attacked by irate patients. Source: DNA, July 9, 2009
The Indian Express, June 30, 2009
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