Reza Mahmud :
Many private hospitals are charging corona patients abnormally excess Bills, which many times become impossible for them to pay; and they pay nothing is left at home. Thus many families are going under the poverty line, sources said.
Public Health experts are blaming the health authorities for their inability and inefficiency in controlling the private hospitals to follow the treatment guidelines.
Weak policy is also responsible though the government is giving 30 pc.
“My father is a retired primary school teacher. He had infected Covid-19 recently. Firstly, we admitted him in a Faridpur hospital, and then brought him in Dhaka after his condition began deteriorating. He has recovered but our solvent family had to spend every penny,” said Mahbubur Rahman, a non-government job holder in a government department.
He said that they tried their best for a bed in any public hospital for his father’s treatment, but failed. Finally they admitted him in a medium quality private hospital in Panthapath area.
But the hospital charged Tk three lakh as Bills, which they paid from last resort of pension amount of Tk three lakh.
He said, after spending all of his deposits, his father are now looking abnormal , as he does not know how to educate his children. Though I have been doing a job for past several months, I do not get handsome salary to help my father,” Mahbub said. Not only Altafur Rahman, similar incidents are regular phenomena for covid patients in private hospitals.
Several non-government research institutes including CPD, ActionAid Bangladesh, PRI, Manusher Jonno Foundation and the University of Dhaka have also found evidences of skyrocketing cost of corona treatment in private hospitals.
The report of the study showed the average cost of medicine, seat rent, specialists’ fees and health examination fees are Tk 7,000 to Tk 10,000 per day for normal beds. The cost in the cabin is more than double.
The cost of ICU is Tk 40 thousand to Tk 60 thousand daily. The study reports showed that Actemra injection is given to the severe covid patients. Though the market price is Tk 70,000, several private hospitals charged Tk two lakh.
Besides, they charged Cardinex at Tk 400 to 2,000, and Remdesivir at Tk 1,500 to Tk 5,000.
The data showed that from April to July last year, 500 patients in general beds and 200 patients in ICUs paid more than Tk 50 crore to two first class hospitals in the capital. Additional bills have been collected in the name of fees for various services, tests and specialists.
Even in government hospitals, it costs an average of Tk 4,000 to Tk 6,000 per day for a patient to buy medicines, food and other things, the data showed. Rokeya Begum, a Kindergarten School teacher getting treatment in Mohakhali DNCC covid hospital said that she and her son were infected by corona virus.
She said, her family is nearly undone due to bearing treatment costs. Rokeya said, though the medicines were supposed to be free from costs in government hospital, but they said, no supply. So I bought medicines at high price.
“Firstly, I bought a remdesivir at Tk 1700, but later the shop owner charged Tk 3000 per piece, saying supply shortage,” she said.
Similarly bitter experienced was shared by Sohel Ahmed a private job holder.
He said that his father Hasan Ahmed was admitted to private hospital after infecting covid in January. His father died after keeping 24 days in ICU. The hospital charged Tk 18 lakh medical bills for his late father.
Later his mother also got infected and admitted her in a private hospital after failing to get seat in public hospital.The hospital charged Tk eight lakh for her mothers’ 11 days treatment cost. “All of my mother’s treatment cost I paid borrowing loans. My financial condition is deteriorating,” Sohel said.
When contacted, eminent Virologist Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam, former Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University told The New Nation on Friday, “The health authorities have no capabilities to control the private hospitals and protect patients’ rights.”
He said, “There is no policy for checking the private hospitals’ misrules to save the patients. Initiatives to take policy failed several times.”
When contacted, Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Huq, former Advisor of the World Health Organisation told The New Nation on Friday, “The government is providing financial incentives and loans very generously to these hospitals. The benefits of these incentives must benefit the Covid patients.”
The government has a responsibility to look into the matter strictly, he suggested. When contacted, Dr. Robed Amin, spokesperson of DGHS told The New Nation, “Earlier we have taken action against those hospitals who charged extra fees for covid tests. But as there were no official allegations, we could not take action.
