Hospitals making Covid afflicted to pay through their nose

DO YOU THINK THE TRUST AND BELIEF IN THE HEALTH SYSTEM HAS SHAKEN?

Private hospitals minting money

This is to suggest that as the second wave of Covid-19 has shaken the entire country and the reality of the healthcare system has also been vehemently exposed. The system instead of showing responsibility and compassion towards people has always disheartened and taken the crisis in the country as an opportunity for minting money through their business tactics. Due to the present difficult situation, hospital infrastructure especially that of government hospitals has been in poor state. Government hospitals also lack adequate number of responsible medical staff and fail to compete with private hospitals, owing to the facilities and infrastructure offered there. This is the reason why people prefer private hospitals over government ones for medical services, despite the fact that they charge hefty fee for the services provided by them. The private hospitals must also show some compassion and sense of professional ethics and accountability towards the general public amid these conditions. They are overcharging people irrespective of the fact whether the person survives the disease or not. Owing to the exorbitant charges by private hospitals, many people also prefer staying at home and getting themselves treated at cheaper expenses. Further it is suggested that the government should cap the prices of medical services under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and enforce it in more stringent manner. The hospitals which are found overcharging, their licences and NOCs should be cancelled and moreover, strict action under Section 304A of the IPC must be taken against them. The government should also provide minimum basic medical training to common people either through medical colleges or by organising training camps so as to handle such emergency situations on their own instead of seeking professional help in mild cases.

Raja Cheema

Government failed to regulate services

The healthcare infrastructure of every country is put on trial after the outbreak of Covidand only those with strong fundamentals have survived the onslaught. The healthcare system of our country has been inadequate even to meet primary medical requirementsduring normal times and to meet the emergency situation posed by the pandemic; the infrastructure appears to have collapsed to the worst for those who cannot affordtreatment under medical emergencies. Public health infrastructure is to be developedand maintained by the Central/state governments through their respective budgetarysupport but it being the lowest as compared to developed countries has resulted in the chaotic situation that we are facing today.Amid this situation, private medical players are exploitingthe patients to their advantage. Public healthcare system has nearly collapsedand miserably failed to meet the medical emergencies sequenced by the raging pandemic. The government, on the other hand, failed to regulate and streamlinevarious medical services being provided by private health sector. Though the governmenthas fixed the rates of various tests and treatments and other services, the same is not being enforced strictly and the public is left to fend themselves under tragic circumstances.This has definitely shaken public trust in the prevailing health systems both in public andprivate domains.

Jagdish Chander

Patients now prefer home isolation

Incidents of private hospitals fleecing Covid patients have added to the woes of the afflicted. Hefty hospital bills are disturbing their budget and due to this, many from middle class families prefer getting isolated at their homes than getting admitted to Covid care centres. Everyone knows that medical expenses at government hospitals are quite low, but the care provided at private hospitals is better than that of in government ones. Though the government had made prescribed a uniform rate for a Covid patient, some medicines which are required in emergency conditions are only available in black market and people are left with no other option but to buy them at exorbitant prices to save the lives of their dear ones. Undoubtedly, doctors and medical staff have also been working tirelessly for the past one year and exposed to the virus more than any other front line workers. But, the availability of medical requirements should be ensured by the government to keep the treatment of patients going on non-stop.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

Govt must fix rates of medical services

It’s axiomatic that greed is inherent in human psyche and doctors are no exception. Though there may be some black sheep who are fleecing Covid patients, it’s unfair to blame the entire medical fraternity for the same. The accused should be taken to task and the administration should put a cap on the payments made to the hospitals, which are treating Covid patients. The government too is responsible for the present crisis for not ramping up public healthcare system and infrastructure during the abatement of the first wave at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. Also, why blame doctors and hospitals when every essential thing concerned with the Covid treatment became prone to black-marketing, due to low supply and hoarding. Middlemen, hoarders, traders, transporters and chemists are all exploiting the situation amid the pandemic. Are these black marketeers being punished and put behind the bars? They should be taken to the task and their property should be confiscated. Since the past year, nearly 1,000 doctors have also succumbed to the deadly virus. Some of them were the luminaries and leading lights of the medical profession. So, it’s unfair to blame private hospitals alone for this sorry state of affairs in the city, state and the country at large.

Dr JS Wadhwa

Healthcare system neglected in nation

For long, healthcare in our country has remained a neglected sector. Though a fewer super specialty hospitals and research centres have come up in both public and private sectors, still much needs to be done. Government hospitals render almost free services but mostly lack in equipment, medicines or credible care, whereas private hospitals charge heavily for the services in the absence of any prescribed rates notified by the regulatory regime. The aim of both is, however, the same i.e. to contribute significantly for better health of people. Majority of our population, basically falling in poor and mediocre category, can’t afford expensive medical treatment and thus has to depend upon government hospitals. But in case of chronic ailments such as cancer, cardiological and orthopaedic etc, despite all financial constraints, most of the patients approach private hospitals for a better outreach. Often, they have to bear hefty bills as health insurance cover is not mandated in our country and the grievances against erring institutions are seldom addressed to. As such, faith in our medical systems is substantially shaken.During the pandemic era, many complaints against private hospitals fleecing patients admitted for domiciliary treatment have been reported where they indulged in malpractices and charged lakhs of rupees out of the misery of the patients, forcing the infected people to prefer home isolation. Notably, rules do exist to prevent any exploitation but the authorities fail to exercise control against all-powerful lobby of private practitioners. In few cases, the sufferers have, however, sought some relief through consumer forums and courts.Under these circumstances, it becomes imperative to accord due priority to expand, upgrade and adequately equip government hospitals with required amenities and expert manpower to provide competitive edge. After all, good health of the citizens is vital and the government should not compromise this aspect at any cost!

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Reforms must to improve system

In these difficult times, when the number of people affected with Covid is increasing at an alarming rate, people are discouraged to avail medical facilities at government hospitals due to scarcity of staff and facilities there. Left with no other option, patients are forced to get admitted to private hospitals, which cheat them with hidden charges, and thus prefer staying in home isolation. Availing facilities at private hospitals is not feasible for all and only government employees who get government help in paying their bills of medical expenses can afford such facilities. Transparency in bills and charges laid should be increased. People should be made clear about all charges that they are paying. The success of the government and the nation lies in the health status of its citizens. The government should pay more attention in this regard and do the needful.

Shashi Kiran

Authorities paid no heed to solve problem

In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, both the Centre and state governments have dismally failed in their constitutional duty to protect the health of citizens and provide them the required medical treatment, irrespective of their capacity to pay. It is a shame that the medical fraternity has also not proved of any help to people. Among others, the role of private hospitals is highly condemnable. Since 1990s, successive governments have been giving facilities and concessions to private hospitals to strengthen healthcare system at the cost of civil hospitals which often remain ill-equipped and understaffed. Given the enormity of the crisis, people go to private hospitals for better treatment. But these hospitals fleece patients and their families in multiple ways to make quick fortune. The authorities have not paid any heed to complaints against their rampant unethical practices. As a result, people have lost trust and faith in the entire health system. While many of them prefer home isolation, others fall prey to unqualified and inexperienced practitioners and quacks who delay timely treatment. Poor and marginalised people are the worst sufferers. To streamline healthcare delivery system, the government should take punitive action against private players for overcharging, check hoarding and black marketing of vaccines, drugs and other medical facilities, enforce price regulation and focus on strengthening public hospitals. Addressing the raging pandemic should be our primary national concern. We should emulate Japan, Cuba, the US and Spain, and make earnest coordinated efforts to defeat the deadly virus.

Tajpreet S Kang

Fleecing incidents Add to patients’ woes

The Covidpandemic has posed numerous challenges for one and all across the world. The measures to keep the virus at bay include self-isolating oneself if mild symptoms occur, or to admit oneself in Covid-dedicated hospitals in case of severity, or just by practicing social distancing, remaining quarantined and washing hands and maintaining hygiene. Another aspect that needs immediate attention is fleecing of patients by some private hospitals and laboratories. Providing medical services at exorbitant prices in the light of special schemes, packages and plans for the treatment of Covid afflicted is a cause for concern. Such practices are adding to the mental and financial woes of the patients.

Akshar Kumar Singla

Medical facilities at record-high prices

The trust of people in the healthcare system is shaken. Though incidents of private hospitals fleecing patients have been reported in the past too, during the pandemic, hospitals have crossed all limits and many lives have been lost for not being able to afford treatment at such exorbitant prices. From hiring an ambulance to renting a room and charges for an ICU bed, all have been seen on record-high levels in these past few days. Even though thegovernment had fixed the rates of some treatments but in the absence of anytangible act, laws and also due to the connivance of political lobby,people are being made to pay hefty price for even minor treatments.The current Covid crisis hit our health system hard and left the patients gasping for the life saving medical oxygen at government-run hospitals. Inadequate supply of oxygen and life-saving drugs at government facilities left peoplewith no alternative but to seek refuge at private hospitals for want of emergencytreatment, which took advantage of the situation and started fleecing people. The faith of people in the healthcare system is badly shaken, leaving them in lurch orto seek home isolation or treatment at charitable run-hospitals.Since health is a fundamental right of every citizen, the government should ensure affordable healthcare to all. It should bring forth legislation oran act to curb ill-practices being followed by private hospitals. The government should also have its representatives in the management of big corporate private hospitals. Small and medium private nursing homes should also be covered under the Clinical Establishment Act.Rates of treatments should be fixed andbe displayed on a notice board outside the hospitals.Private hospitalsshould spare 20 per cent of the total bed capacity for economically weaker sections of the society.Government and private health providers must work in tandem to restore public faithin the healthcare system.

AnilVinayak

Admn must act to restore public trust

There is a shortage of beds, oxygen supply and also medical staff at various hospitals. A number of people have died in the past few days owing to this scarcity of medical facilities. Even if these services are anyhow ensured at the hospitals, still a lot needs to be done to improve the quality of health infra and sanitation conditions there. People are gradually losing their trust in the health system. The administration can’t solely be blamed for the present situation of the health system as for the past one year, the health sector has been overburdened due to the Covid pandemic. The government had imposed various restrictions such as curfew and lockdown but in vain as there is no respite from the ever raging deadly virus. Amid these conditions, the trust of people in the healthcare system is shaken to the extent that people today prefer getting isolated at their home rather than availing hospital facilities. Many persons have also been seen avoiding the Covid vaccine due to this lack of trust and the situation is thus worsening. The administration must make proper provisions for the health and safety of the citizens to regain their trust.

Izleen

No transparency in medical bills

• Like other national calamities, the Covid pandemic too has amply brought out the good and bad character traits of our countrymen. At a crucial time when social and religious organisations, NGOs,NRIs, celebrities, Good Samaritans and people from across the world are doing a yeoman service by helping Covid patients and their families, unscrupulous doctors, distributors, chemists and other medical personnel are hoarding drugs, vaccines and medical equipment and selling them in black with impunity to make profits
• If clinical labs are charging exorbitant rates for RT-PCR tests, corporatised and other multi-specialty private hospitals are fleecing patients on one pretext or the other. There is no transparency in their billing; patients are discharged without being given the entire medical record. Sometimes, patients are detained by the authorities and their bodies are held back for non-payment of hospital bills. Most of such unlawful cases do not come into the notice of the authorities because the hospital managements threaten the hapless victims against doing so and the cases in which complaints are lodged, no appropriate action is taken
• Despite the apex court’s directions, the government has failed to regulate charges for Covid. Even the insurance companies have refused to reimburse inflated medical bills. Isn’t it shoddy implementation of instituted policies? Doesn’t the government lack strong political will to rein in the powerful hospital industry and its lobbies? Doesn’t the whole system seem complicit and compromised? Though private hospitals are better equipped than those in public sector, people have lost trust and confidence in them. They feel reluctant to go to private hospitals for treatment and prefer home isolation to beat Covid blues. The government should keep a vigilant eye on these hospitals in this hour of unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

DS Kang

QUESTION

Covid vaccination centres in the city are often crowded with chaotic scenes witnessed almost every day. What are your suggestions to improve the system at the centres?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to jalandhardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (May 27).