Candle March at Jantar Mantar seeks Better Healthcare Facilities

New Delhi, Sep 29: A candle march was organised at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday demanding better health facilities in the country. The march was organised by the Cuttack Jagran Manch to express solidarity with young boy Avinash who died due to dengue in the national Capital after he could not get on-time medical attention.

“The government should pass strict laws to stop the monopoly of the private hospitals and government should spend more money on the health sector in the country,” said Dr Satya Ranja Samal, President of the Cuttack Jagran Manch.

The march was also supported by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association.

More hospitals with better facilities need to come up all across the country. People need to made aware of about their rights. Court has passed many rules for the people but they are not aware of them,” said Prerna Kumari of Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association.

Protesters demanded that government should increase the spending on health sector to ensure better infrastructure and health facilities to people even in the remotest part of the country.

“As the right to life and health is fundamental right provided to us by the constitution of India so no poor can be left on road to die for lack of money. Government should spend more on health sector and hospitals to ensure better facilities to people of the country,” said Ambika Das, a Supreme Court lawyer.

The death of a 7-year-old boy Avinash due to dengue after allegedly being denied treatment by five private hospitals and subsequent suicide by his parents sparked widespread outrage with Delhi government slapping show-cause notices on them asking why their registration should not be cancelled.

The couple, Laxmichandra and Babita Rout – both natives of Odisha, committed suicide by jumping from a four-storeyed building in south Delhi’s Lado Sarai earlier this month, a day after their only son Avinash died of suspected dengue.