Headquarters Hospital Malakand: Hospital x-ray services out of order since three months
Patients pay more than 300% more in private clinics.
Patients pay more than 300% more in private clinics.
BATKHELA:
X-ray services at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Malakand have been out of order since the past three months, forcing patients to go to private clinics which charge more than 300% more.
Fazal Gul, a school teacher and a resident of Thana area in Malakand, said he had been at the hospital since morning, waiting to get an x-ray for his son, who suffers from chest infection. But since there were no films, the doctor suggested a private clinic, which Gul said charged Rs150 per x-ray.
Tahir Khan, a resident of Goriband, Totakhan, said the hospital, which is government owned and funded, charges Rs35 for every x-ray, while private laboratories can charge up to Rs200.
“If a patient is not aware about the procedure and costs, private clinics charge even more. Some of the patients in my village were charged Rs300 per x-ray by private labs,” Tahir said.
DHQ Medical Superintendent Dr Hanifullah said x-ray facilities are not functional because the Medicine Coordination Council (MCC) has neither been providing medicines nor films. The council provides medicines to government hospitals. But in order to revise prices and conduct an audit, the supply has been suspended.
“The government has even stopped us from buying the films ourselves,” the MS said, adding that the actual price of an x-ray film costs between Rs50 and Rs150 and a skilled technician can use one film for at least three x-rays. This can save money and facilitate more patients.
Dr Hanifullah complained that private laboratories operate like any other business that solely focuses on profit-making. He requested the government and the MCC to provide them with the films need to help poor patients.
Haji Gul, a tuberculosis patient, claims that doctors refer patients to private clinics not because the hospital lacks equipment or their results are bad, but because doctors receive a commission of up to Rs50 per x-ray.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2013.
X-ray services at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Malakand have been out of order since the past three months, forcing patients to go to private clinics which charge more than 300% more.
Fazal Gul, a school teacher and a resident of Thana area in Malakand, said he had been at the hospital since morning, waiting to get an x-ray for his son, who suffers from chest infection. But since there were no films, the doctor suggested a private clinic, which Gul said charged Rs150 per x-ray.
Tahir Khan, a resident of Goriband, Totakhan, said the hospital, which is government owned and funded, charges Rs35 for every x-ray, while private laboratories can charge up to Rs200.
“If a patient is not aware about the procedure and costs, private clinics charge even more. Some of the patients in my village were charged Rs300 per x-ray by private labs,” Tahir said.
DHQ Medical Superintendent Dr Hanifullah said x-ray facilities are not functional because the Medicine Coordination Council (MCC) has neither been providing medicines nor films. The council provides medicines to government hospitals. But in order to revise prices and conduct an audit, the supply has been suspended.
“The government has even stopped us from buying the films ourselves,” the MS said, adding that the actual price of an x-ray film costs between Rs50 and Rs150 and a skilled technician can use one film for at least three x-rays. This can save money and facilitate more patients.
Dr Hanifullah complained that private laboratories operate like any other business that solely focuses on profit-making. He requested the government and the MCC to provide them with the films need to help poor patients.
Haji Gul, a tuberculosis patient, claims that doctors refer patients to private clinics not because the hospital lacks equipment or their results are bad, but because doctors receive a commission of up to Rs50 per x-ray.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2013.