Report by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan
Vijayapura (formerly known as Bijapur) is a very large district in North Karnataka. People of Vijayapuram district, from all walks of life, waged a determined and prolonged public movement demanding a government medical college instead of a PPP/private medical college model proposed by the Congress led government of Karnataka. After roughly 115 days of agitation, the Karnataka government was forced to announce that the PPP plan would be scrapped and a government medical college established.
We here below give a report by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan on their website giving details of the victorious struggle. (https://phmindia.org/2026/09/14/rejecting-privatisation-reclaiming-public-health-education-and-care/. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan is a public health network working toward ensuring healthcare for all and a stronger public health system.)
There are some important lessons, which all of us who are fighting against privatization of public sector enterprises, can draw from this victorious struggle.
– Governments in various states, irrespective of which big political party has formed the government, are all assiduously implementing the liberalization and privatization policies unleashed in 1991-92.
– If people from all walks of life who are the beneficiaries of public services are informed about the importance of the struggle, then they enthusiastically participate in such struggles.
– If unity is forged of all those who are against the privatization policy keeping aside any other political, organizational, or any other differences then such a unity can defeat most repressive measures and force any government to back down.
– Participation of women, youth and students gives immense strength to any such movements.
– To truly stop the tide of privatization of public health services, public health budgets across states and at the national level must be at least doubled, and medical colleges and hospitals must remain firmly under public control, with community oversight and participation.
