Mangaluru: The Mangaluru City South Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged a protest in front of the Mini Vidhana Soudha on Monday, demanding the immediate establishment of government-run units of Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology and Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in Dakshina Kannada.
The protesters called for stronger public healthcare infrastructure in the district and urged the government to regulate private hospitals to ensure that residents have access to affordable medical treatment.
Demand for specialised government healthcare
The main demand raised during the protest was the establishment of government-run facilities affiliated with Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology and Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in Dakshina Kannada.
The protesters said people in the district require better access to specialised cancer and cardiac care within the government healthcare system. They argued that the availability of such facilities would help residents access advanced treatment without having to depend entirely on private healthcare providers or travel outside the district for specialised services.
The CPM also demanded that existing government hospitals be strengthened with adequate infrastructure, staff and medical facilities.
According to the protesters, improving public healthcare institutions is essential to ensure that quality treatment remains accessible to people irrespective of their economic background.
Opposition to private hospital agreements
Addressing the gathering, CPM State Committee member Sunil Kumar Bajal criticised the State government’s decision to enter into contractual agreements with private hospitals to provide healthcare services to the public.
He alleged that such arrangements could weaken government hospitals while benefiting private healthcare institutions.
Bajal argued that instead of depending on private hospitals, the government should invest in its own healthcare infrastructure and strengthen public hospitals so that they can provide comprehensive services to residents.
The CPM has opposed the alleged move towards handing over or outsourcing public healthcare services and called for greater government control over healthcare institutions established to serve the public.
Call to strengthen government hospitals
CPM city secretary Yogish Jappinamogaru urged the government to fulfil the long-standing demand for better and affordable public healthcare facilities in the district.
He said residents of Dakshina Kannada should have access to quality healthcare through government institutions and called for measures to expand and improve existing facilities.
The party’s demands also covered the need to improve government hospitals so that they can handle a wider range of medical requirements. The protesters maintained that investment in public healthcare infrastructure would reduce the financial burden on patients and their families.
The demand for specialised cancer and cardiac care was placed within this broader call to strengthen the public healthcare system.
Demand to cancel agreements with private hospitals
District committee member Santosh Bajal demanded that the government immediately cancel agreements that, according to the CPM, would hand over government health centres, community health centres and taluk hospitals to private hospitals.
He argued that such facilities should remain under the public healthcare system and be strengthened through government investment.
The CPM said government-run health centres play an important role in providing accessible medical services, particularly to people who may not be able to afford treatment at private hospitals.
The party therefore called for a review of arrangements involving private healthcare providers and urged the government to ensure that public health institutions remain adequately funded and staffed.
Leaders address protest gathering
Several CPM leaders addressed the gathering during the protest and spoke in support of the demands raised by the party.
Former party secretariat members J Balakrishna Shetty, Jayanthi B Shetty, B K Imtiyaz, Pramila Shaktinagar, Srinath Katipalla, Dayananda Shetty and Abdul Tayyub were among those who addressed the protesters.
The speakers reiterated the demand for strengthening government hospitals and improving access to specialised healthcare services in the district.
They also criticised policies that they believe could increase the dependence of the public healthcare system on private institutions.
Protest led by party members
The protest was led by Jayalakshmi Jappinamogaru, Shashidhar Shaktinagar, Dinesh Shetty, Deepak Bajal, Nagesh Kotyan, Bharathi Bolara, Ravichandra Konchady, Asha Bolur, Krishna Thanneerubhavi and Manoj Urvastor.
The demonstration brought together party members and supporters who raised their concerns over the availability and affordability of healthcare services.
The CPM said the government should give priority to strengthening public healthcare infrastructure and ensuring that residents of Dakshina Kannada have access to specialised treatment within the government system.
Focus on affordable public healthcare
The protest reflects the CPM’s continuing demand for greater investment in government healthcare facilities and tighter regulation of private healthcare institutions.
The party’s demands include establishing government-run cancer and cardiac care facilities, strengthening existing government hospitals and withdrawing agreements that allegedly allow private hospitals to take over the functioning of public health centres.
The protesters maintained that accessible and affordable healthcare should remain a public responsibility. They urged the State government to consider the demands and take steps to improve healthcare infrastructure in Dakshina Kannada.
The demonstration concluded with a renewed call for stronger public hospitals and specialised government healthcare services, particularly in areas such as oncology and cardiology.