City govt may take action against Spencer Hospital: Use of inter-ocular lenses
By Bahzad Alam Khan
KARACHI, May 20: The administration of the Spencer Eye Hospital and the health department of the city government are on a collision course over the use of inter-ocular lenses in the hospital.
Well-placed sources told Dawn on Monday that the health department of the city government, monitoring all the hospitals being run previously by the defunct Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, was all-set to take action against the administration of the Spencer Eye Hospital which had made it mandatory for the patients to use only two brands of inter-ocular lenses.
Situated on Siddiq Wahab Road in the congested Lea Market (Saddar Town), the Spencer Eye Hospital was established by a Parsi philanthropist, Dr K.N. Spencer, in 1938. He was the pioneer of eye-care facilities in Karachi.
The executive district officer of the city government’s health department, Dr Ali Nawaz Shaikh, said: “The medical superintendent of the Spencer Hospital was told that it had been brought to the notice of the city government that doctors in the hospital had been taking money from the patients to buy inter- ocular lenses and other accessories. He had also been directed that doctors be advised to prescribe neither very expensive inter-ocular lenses nor very inferior ones.”
The sources said that following a surprise visit by the district officer of the city government’s health department, Dr Humayun Farrukh, on April 10 to the Spencer Eye Hospital it had come to light that doctors had been taking money from the patients.
They added that the district officer had prepared a report [DO(H)/AdmnII/202/2002] and forwarded to the medical superintendent of the Spencer Eye Hospital. The report said: “During the inspection made by the undersigned on 10-4-2002, the female patients of beds No 18 & 19, namely Mst Zeenat Hussain and Mst Noor Bai, informed that as per demand they have paid Rs3,500 each for operation purpose directly to Dr Beerbal.
“Whereas, as per existing policy, no officer/official is entitled to receive any cash amount from any patient for any purpose. The consultant is only authorized to provide the prescription of the medicine/lenses etc but receiving cash for any purpose from the patient is liable to severe action under the existing rules.”
Subsequently, the district officer wrote another letter [DO(H)/AdmnII/203] to the medical superintendent. The letter said: “The office is receiving complaints from various sectors for demanding amount for operations and providing lenses etc which is being charged by the doctor from the patient to be operated which is highly objectionable.
“You are therefore directed to furnish a copy of the admission slip issued to each patient who will be operated along with daily operation chart duly completed in all respects ie complete address with NIC numbers etc so that complaints received so far could be testified day by day.”
In response to the letters from the district officer, the medical superintendent of the Spencer Eye Hospital, Dr Qazi Mohammad Wasiq, issued a circular [MS/SEH/ESTT/222/2002] on May 15. The circular said: “In order to minimize public complaints regarding use of inter-ocular lenses, as per decision of the authorities following steps are taken to regularize the use of inter-ocular lenses in the general ward. Following brands of inter-ocular lenses and viscoelastic have been recommended for general ward patients: Alcon and Fred hollow. Viscoelestic: vesoget (Sente)/Provisc (Alcon). Patients will be given choice to purchase any one of the two inter-ocular lense depending upon his economic conditions, from anywhere he likes. For patients who get inter-ocular lenses from Zakat funds, any brand of inter-ocular lenses in the stock will be used.”
Critics, however, allege that the new administration of the Spencer Eye Hospital made the prescription of Alcon inter-ocular lenses mandatory in return for the company’s contribution towards the hospital’s renovation. They point out that by limiting the number of inter-ocular lenses to two brands, the administration of the Spencer Eye Hospital has deprived the patients of choice.
Dr Wasiq said he had issued the circular following the verbal instructions of the executive district officer of the city government’s health department.
However, the executive district officer told Dawn he had not asked the Spencer Eye Hospital medical superintendent to make the prescription of only two brands of inter-ocular lenses mandatory.
Dr Shaikh said: “The city government is considering forming a committee comprising experts of the field to make recommendations regarding the type of inter-ocular lenses that should be used by the Spencer Eye Hospital.”
Dr Wasiq said that the Spencer Eye Hospital had sent a proposal to the city government, enumerating a number of inter- ocular lenses that could be used. “We had also suggested that the city government should provide a booth on the premises of the Spencer Eye Hospital so that the patients could purchase inter- ocular lenses kit from the booth. But the city government turned down the proposal.”
The district officer of the city government’s health department said that it would be unprecedented on the part of the city government to set up such a booth on the premises of the Spencer Eye Hospital. “The Spencer Eye Hospital should run the way other government hospitals run where doctors do not take money from the patients.”
He added that the doctors should return the wrappers of the items used to the patients so that they could check if they had been given the inter-ocular lenses they had been charged for.
