Bengaluru, Mar 12 (PTI) Claiming a “medical emergency” in the state, the Opposition BJP on Thursday targeted the Congress government and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao in the Legislative Assembly over the functioning of his department.
The BJP sought to press for discussion under the “adjournment motion” on issues pertaining to shortages of medicines and doctors, among other issues.
“The health minister is healthy, but his department is sick. The minister can get medicines from anywhere privately, but the poor are not getting medicines. Doctors had called for a strike, but they have temporarily called it off after some negotiations,” Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said.
He said that due to the shortage of medicines, people across the state are facing problems.
“I have with me a list of 270 primary health centres (PHC) that the government is preparing to shut. Doctors are also being shifted out. There is worry among people in those villages as there are no medicines or doctors,” he said, sending a copy of the list to the Speaker.
Further quoting the government doctors’ association, the opposition leader said patients are not receiving medicines on time due to supply failures recently.
“The issue has not been resolved despite repeated requests by the association. The shortage has created pressure on doctors and has also led to clashes with patients,” he said, quoting the doctors’ association.
Seeking debate on various health department-related issues under the adjournment motion, Ashoka said, “It will send a warning message to the government. In a way there is a medical emergency in the state. There are medicines in the hospital.” Former Deputy CM C N Ashwath Narayan too claimed that there was a “medical emergency” in the state, highlighting that “there is doctors shortage, shortage of medicines, issues with ambulance service. The whole system seems to have collapsed.” Speaker U T Khader, however, said discussion on the matter cannot be allowed under the adjournment motion, and it can be raised during the ongoing discussion on the Budget, or he will provide for discussion on the matter under some other rule later.
Finally, it was decided that the matter would be discussed under a different rule at a later date. PTI KSU KH
Category: Breaking News
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