Reza Mahmud :
Covid-19 patients accused the private hospitals of charging limitless fees from them.
Hospitals collect price of the doctors’ personal protective equipment (PPE) from every single patient though one physician wears an PPE everyday and visits many patients.
The doctors of those hospitals prescribe many tests though most of those are irrelevant.
“My father has been admitted to a private hospital of the city after tested Covid-19 positive. The hospital has given us a bill of Tk about two lakh for five days of his medical treatment. The amount seems unethically excessive. Many other patients also suffer at the healthcare center,” said Abdul Quayyum, a businessman from Uttara.
He said many patients have no alternative way to get medical treatment as this is a serious disease which limits movement.
He said also that every patient is bound to pay price of a PPE, but it is a burden to them. The doctors are not using one PPE only for one patient. They visited several patients a day and collected a total price of a PPE from every one, it seems that they are very greedy, he said.
“As the patients and their relatives fall in serious panic about the fatal virus, they cannot move to different hospitals in such situation. The hospitals are taking this as an advantage. They are also charging extra money in many ways,” Abdul Quayyum said.
Besides, a section of dishonest physicians of those hospitals, prescribe many irrelevant tests.
Dr. Mukhles uz Zaman Hero, former Deputy Director of Banagabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) told The New Nation, “It is very unethical to collect extra money showing price of PPE from every patient. The patients are really victims of some money greedy persons who are using the medical service as money making tools only.”
He said, “Medical service is a great humanitarian service. It is not like other product or service business.
If they want to make only money, they should shun the medical service and start other business.
He also said that many patients alleged that they have been prescribed for many unrelated tests only an account of money, it is very shameful.
Dr. Mukhlesuz Zaman Hero blamed lake of monitoring from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) for this inhuman behaviour of some private hospitals.
When contacted, Professor Dr. Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General (Administration) of DGHS told The New Nation on Tuesday, “There are lots of private hospitals in the country. Besides, the DGHS has limited workers to monitor all of those hospitals. I will ask the Director (Hospital) to start stern surveillance so that they stop collecting such extra money.”
She said also that the patients should submit their allegations to the DGHS so that we can find the culprits easily.
