August 23, 2007	Thursday	Sha’aban 9, 1428

UPPER DIR, Aug 22: Relatives of patients have complained that they are asked at the Upper Dir District Headquarters Hospital to visit private clinics for treatment at high charges in violation of directives of the NWFP health minister.

They said that the patients stayed in the hospital were not accorded proper medical services.

Abdul Karim of Barawal alleged that a doctor had asked him to pay Rs20,000 for operating upon his son at his private clinic.

“I was told that my son had developed appendicitis and he needed surgery. But when his tests were conducted at another laboratory they revealed that he had no such problem,” he said.

Zahid Jaan, father of eight-year-old Maria, alleged that the doctors expressed displeasure if medicines of companies specified by them were not purchased for the patients.

He alleged that a doctor in the hospital had refused to attend to his daughter who was in acute pain and humiliated him when he insisted on her treatment.

The patients and their families demanded action against doctors involved in malpractices and ban on visits by representatives of pharmaceutical companies to the hospital during working hours.