Fees waived: G-B govt withdraws decision to charge patients in public hospitals

The decision to charge patients was taken in February to use the revenue to improve the quality of healthcare.

GILGIT:

The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government has decided to revoke its decision to charge patients in government hospitals across the region.

Officials familiar with the matter said the government weighed the pros and cons of imposing the fees and finally decided to withdraw the decision after several consultations. The issue was also recently raised in the G-B Assembly where lawmakers demanded the fees be waived in the best interest of the public.

The initial decision to charge patients was taken by G-B Chief Minister Mehdi Shah’s government in February to generate revenue for public hospitals so  the quality of healthcare being provided could be improved.



As a result, patients had to pay Rs100 for an ultrasound, Rs2,250 for a CT scan, and up to Rs300 for a surgery.

The government, however, faced stiff resistance from both the public and politicians and subsequently agreed to review the decision. The International Human Rights Observer in G-B had also filed a petition in court, terming the fees a “violation of human rights”.

“The decision is being reviewed by a committee and most probably it (fee structure) will go very soon,” said G-B Minister of Health Gulbar Khan, who was one of the few cabinet members who opposed the decision but was overruled.



The government had earlier said the revenue collected would be deposited with the national exchequer and a committee headed by G-B government hospital medical superintendents would be responsible for appropriating it.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2013.