Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

Rajasthan Government Proposes Right to Health Care Act

The denial of health care services in any health care facility in the state will be fined up to ₹10,000.
March 21, 2022
Right to Health Care

The Government of Rajasthan has said that the denial of health care services in any health care facility in the state will be fined up to ₹10,000.

The recent condition has been made in the proposed Right to Health Care Act. The government has sought suggestions on the draft of the act till March 24, 2022, says a report.

The preamble of the Act says, “to provide protection and fulfilment of rights equity in relation to health and well-being for achieving the goal of health care for all through guaranteed access to quality health care to all residents of the state without any catastrophic out of the expenditure. And whereas the presenting inequitable accessibility and denials in the matter of health care in the state are a concern to all.”

Under the proposed act, rights and duties of the residents and health care providers and obligations of the government are listed. It gives the right to have free health care in government hospitals and in private hospitals that are established through the land allocation on concessional rates. It also gives the right to family members of the deceased to get the dead body irrespective of payment due status from the health care facility. The legislation should ensure access to basic healthcare services within 3 km of a citizen’s residence.

The act also makes it mandatory for the government to provide an appropriate health budget and within six months of the legislation, develop and set up a Human Resources Policy for health. A State Health Authority, State Executive Committee and District Health Authority will monitor the enactment of the act.

The Congress party had promised the act in its 2018 Assembly polls manifesto. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot announced the Right to Health Care Act in the budget of 2021. The draft of the act has been made public for the suggestions of citizens and other stakeholders. In August 2021, Ashok Gehlot also demanded the Centre insert the Right to Health as part of the fundamental rights of the Constitution.