Education, healthcare shouldn't be used for making profit: Ashok Gehlot on protest against Right to Health Bill

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot (File image)

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday asserted that education and healthcare sectors should not be used for making profit. He said the state government is planning to discuss the Right to Health Bill in the Rajasthan Assembly.

The Rajasthan Right to Health Bill seeks to give residents of Rajasthan the right to avail free healthcare services from hospitals, clinics and laboratories. This will include private establishments as well.

Private hospital owners and doctors have, however, opposed the bill.

Expressing his dismay at the protest, the chief minister urged the government hospital doctors to make their counterparts working in private hospitals understand the importance of the Bill.

Addressing the platinum jubilee programme at Sawai Man Singh Medical College here, he said, "Education and healthcare are such sectors which should not be used for business and profit-making.

“Healthcare means to serve, therefore trusts and societies are made. However, many medical institutes find ways to make money. Despite earning so much, they are opposing the Bill. We are trying to make them see the importance of the Bill," he said referring to private doctors opposing the government's move to bring the legislation. The chief minister said the Sawai Man Singh Hospital did a great job during the COVID-19 pandemic and people from other states also visit the facility for treatment.

He also reiterated his demand to the Centre about bringing a legislation to provide social security to the needy in the country.

He said his government is providing social security to one crore people in the state.