Activists demand free access to health care, reversal of decision to hike user fees

Mumbai: April 13, 2011

Protesting the Maharashtra Government's decision to increase user fees for medical college hospitals, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), a network of organisations, academics and activists working in the field of health care, has written to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan demanding a “reversal” of the decision. Earlier this year, the State had decided to charge higher rates for medical services. Terming the move as “cruel” and “unjustified”, the JSA letter states: “Evidence from various States shows that imposing user fees forms a barrier obstructing the poor from accessing basic health services.

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