Rohit Shishodia
Health activists have demanded that the government should implement a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) charter on patients’ rights. They have also demanded that prices of medicines, diagnostics and medical bills should be regulated so that no patient can be harassed or cheated.

The activists from Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, All India Patients Rights Group, Mahila Pragati Manch, People for Better Treatment and National Campaign for Right to Public Health gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and demanded control of rates in medical practice and notification of all standards for hospitals under the National Clinical Establishments Act 2010.

Their demands also include a grievances redressal system for patients which should be accessible to the common person and must act swiftly, objectively and effectively to ensure timely and unbiased action on complaints by patients related to unethical care in private hospitals.

Mr Jayant Singh, whose 7-year-old daughter, Adya, died of dengue in Forits Hospital in Gurugram even after paying a Rs 16 lakh bill, told DTMT: “Nobody knows how much bill the hospital will take after admission of patient. The management of hospital acts like it has kidnapped the patient. He is not allowed to leave the hospital and he continues to be looted by the hospital. This must be monitored. Therefore, we have gathered here to demand that the government must adopt the NHRC charter.”

Mr Singh informed, “Nobody has been convicted in my daughter’s death case even after 10 months of filing the chargesheet. Report on medical negligence of my daughter’s death is also available. But no action has been taken so far. I don’t want a repeat of any case like mine. Hence, government should form a body which concludes all the medical negligence cases at the earliest.”

Mr Shisheer, whose 33-year-old brother, Vishal Chand, died in Tata Memorial Hospital in 2011 in Jamshedpur due to medical negligence is still waiting for justice. Mr Shisheer said that his brother had a heart attack but was treated by an unqualified doctor who did not follow due procedure.

“My brother was told that he had gastric pain. He had poor ECG functioning but that too was not noted. His BP was also ignored. Doctor did not even ask family history, whereas his father died of heart attack. Protocol says in such condition you have to inform the cardiologist and admit the patient immediately. This was all ignored and due to this delay, my brother died of heart attack,” added Mr Shisheer.

He said that litigation related to his brother’s case in consumer court, criminal case, MCI proceedings, writ petition in Delhi High Court and SLP in Supreme Court have been filed. "Still we are waiting for justice. We demand Patients Grievance Redressal Mechanism from the government” asserted Mr Shisheer.