Staff Reporter :
Private hospitals are charging high for Covid-19 test exploiting the ongoing coronavirus health crisis.
The high testing cost at private hospitals has become a burden for many who are being forced to go there to get tested as government hospitals get exhausted amid rapid surge in the number of Covid-19 patients.
The government has permitted 13 private hospitals to conduct coronavirus tests and set a fee of Tk 3,500 for each test.
But suspected virus patients are now counting around Tk 4,000 for getting tested there though the service is totally free at the public hospitals and government labs around the country.
Along with this, some private hospitals are allegedly charging doctor’s consultation fee (Tk1,000) and service charge (Tk 300) taking the total cost of Covid-19 test to Tk 5,000 and above.
Commenting on the issue, Dr Rashid-E Mahbub, former President of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and convener of Doctors’ Platform for People’s Health, said, “It is the government’s responsibility to protect people when an epidemic appears and ensure proper healthcare of all citizens during the time.
He said the government hospitals are providing free coronavirus testing facilities to people. Now they should bear coronavirus testing costs at private hospitals too.
Rahman, a resident of Malibagh area, developed symptoms similar to that of coronavirus in recent days and got himself tested at Anwer Khan Modern Hospital in the capital at a cost of Tk 4,000.
“It’s very difficult for middle-class people to bear such an amount for coronavirus test, ” he said, adding, “The government should bear the cost to ease the financial burden of the citizens.”
Md Sagor, who went to Lab Aid Hospital at Dhanmondi, Dhaka, recently for Covid-19 test, said he had to pay a fee of Tk1,000 for doctor consultation fee first and then gave Tk Tk300 more for service charge. The hospital’s total fee of Tk 4,800 from me but he provide a money receipt of Tk3,800 without showing doctor’s consultation fee.
Regarding the issue, convener of Jonoshastho Songram Parishad Dr Faiezul Hakim said coronavirus testing should be free of cost in all hospitals.
“Our organisation has been demanding free test and treatment of coronavirus for all. It’s responsibility of the government to ensure proper treatment to all citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
He also said that there should not be two separate policies in a country. “The government must take financial responsibility of coronavirus testing at all hospitals.”
When asked, Habibur Rahman, Additional Secretary and Convener of Health Ministry’s Media Cell, said the coronavirus test is now free at all government hospitals. But the government is yet to take any plan to bear the costs at private hospitals too.
Additional Director General (Administration) of the Health Directorate Professor Nasima Sultana said that they came to know that hospitals overcharging for Covid-19 test. “But we cannot conduct drive now due to manpower shortage. The matter has been handed over to another government agency. We will act on its report.”
The private hospitals that are rendering coronavirus testing facilities are – Evercare Hospital, Square Hospitals, Praava Health Bangladesh Ltd, Ibn Sina Medical College Hospital, Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital, Enam Medical College and Hospital, United Hospital Limited, Biomed Diagnostics, DMFR Molecular Lab and Diagnostics, Lab Aid Hospital, Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences General Hospital, Care Medical College of Dhaka, TMSS Medical College and Rafatullah Community Hospital of Bogura and Chevron Clinical Laboratory ( Pte ) Ltd. of Chattogram.
