Koragas, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, took out a procession and staged a dharna in Udupi on Monday in protest against the State government discontinuing a free medical treatment scheme meant for them since 2008.
They took out the procession from Manipal Bus Stand to the office of the Deputy Commissioner and staged the dharna in front of the office.
They said that the government through an order on August 17 discontinued the scheme under which financial grants were being released for their free medical treatment at empanelled private hospitals.
Financial assistance under Arogya Nidhi has been stopped through the order. With the new order in place, many with chronic illness and malnutrition will be deprived of timely treatment, they said.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, P.V. Bhandary, a doctor from Udupi, said that the population of Koragas is on the decline as the community patients are not getting proper and timely treatment.
The government has taken an arbitrary decision to withdraw free treatment facilities meant for them, he said and added that the officials claim that Koraga people’s deaths are linked to their drinking habits is baseless and without any supportive evidence.
He said that the government should strengthen treatment and other medical facilities at government hospitals. It will help many poor patients, including people from Koraga community.
Later, Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao, who reached the protest venue, received a memorandum from the leaders of the community. He told them that he will communicate their demand to the government.
