In a major development, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Rajasthan unit has announced a statewide shutdown of private healthcare services in protest against the arrest of a Jaipur-based hospital director triggering widespread disruption in medical services across the state.
The protest was sparked by the arrest of Dr. Sondev Bansal, director of a private hospital in Jaipur who was taken into custody over allegations related to medical negligence and irregularities under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS). However, doctors and medical bodies have strongly opposed the arrest claiming that a prior medical board inquiry had found no evidence of negligence and that the action was based on minor discrepancies.
Following an emergency meeting, the IMA Rajasthan declared that all private hospitals, medical colleges and allied healthcare institutions would suspend services for 24 hours, from 8 AM on April 14 to 8 AM on April 15, 2026. During this period both outpatient (OPD) and inpatient (IPD) services were halted significantly affecting routine healthcare access.
The shutdown also included a boycott of services under the RGHS scheme with the IMA announcing an indefinite suspension of cashless treatment services provided under the scheme in private hospitals. Doctors cited long-standing issues such as delayed payments, penalties and administrative hurdles as contributing factors behind their protest.
While government hospitals continued to function government doctors extended symbolic support to the protest ensuring that essential public healthcare services remained operational. Meanwhile, private healthcare services across Rajasthan came to a near standstill causing inconvenience to patients and increasing pressure on public hospitals. The IMA and other medical associations have demanded the immediate release of Dr. Bansal and called for a fair and transparent investigation into the case.
