CPI speaks out against handing over maternity hospital to NRI

CPI speaks out against handing over maternity hospital to NRI

Mangalore Today News Network

Sep 28, 2016: Members of the taluk committee of  CPI, Communist Party of India staged a protest in front of the Udupi taluk office in Bannanje against the Cabinet’s decision to hand over the government maternity and pediatric hospital to NRI businessman B R Shetty’s firm, BRS Ventures.

Speaking on the occasion, psychiatrist, Dr P V Bhandary, said that the government was shying away from its responsibilities of providing health and educational services to the people. The minister himself had expressed the opinion that entrusting maintenance of government hospitals to private parties had often resulted in failure. " The lone government-run maternity and pediatric hospital in Udupi is serving the purpose in a better way. Currently, 270 deliveries take place every month at the hospital. It is sufficient enough if the hospital is renovated. Instead of repairing the 70-bed hospital, the decision to hand it over to a private company is not right," he said.

He added that the Kerala model --- where co-operative societies run the government hospitals -- could be emulated in Karnataka too. Though it is said that poor patients will be given free treatment at the new super specialty hospital, only a few may get the facility while a majority would be deprived of medical service. The poor patients would be the sufferers as they are unable to shell out huge money for availing the services. The deliveries in the hospital cost less compared to the private hospitals, he pointed out.  CPI district secretary V Kukyan alleged that district in-charge minister was not clear on the issue.

"The minister changes his stand to suit his convenience. Most of the daily wage labourers are in need of the government hospital where treatment is affordable," he said. He warned that serious protests would be held if the government did not shelve its plan to privatise the hospital.