Assam Passes Right to Health Bill

In a landmark legislation, Assam has decided to incorporate the right to health as an inclusive right of every citizen, thus becoming the first state in the country to do so.

According to the Public Health Bill 2010, all hospitals, both private and government, should provide free emergency treatment to a patient for at least 24 hours. The Bill also makes various agencies of the health department accountable for any outbreak of airborne and water borne diseases.

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed the passage of the historic bill and said that the health department will be launching a number of schemes to promote the right for health for all citizens.

“The legislation has a provision to provide for protection and fulfillment of the rights in relation to health and well-being, health equity and justice, including those related to all the underlying departments of health as well as health care and for achieving the goal of health for all and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto”, Sarma said


Source-Medindia
RAS