RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has increased the prices of pathology tests in government-run hospitals across the province.

The Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department issued a notification for revising the rates charged from private patients and those who come to the out-patient department (OPD) in all specialised and tertiary care facilities under the administrative control of the department.

A senior official of the health department told Dawn that the provincial government wanted to initiate medical teaching institutions in order to replace the old service structure and to start private practice in teaching hospitals.

He said the revised rates for pathology tests will earn revenue for the health department which is launching health cards in the province.

The official said private patients coming to government-run hospitals in the evening have to pay the revised rates.

According to the notification, the government issued new rates for private patients and those who come to OPDs.

Private practice to be initiated in teaching hospitals, health cards to be launched

The charges for X-rays have been increased from Rs150 to Rs250, C.T Scan prices have increased from Rs2,000 to Rs3,000, MRI prices from Rs3,500 to Rs6,000 and a complete blood picture test will cost Rs450 now.

C-sections will cost Rs50,000 in OPD and Rs100,000 for private patients.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid told Dawn that the new rates have not been implemented yet but the government wants to introduce uniform rates across the province.

She said the price of the same tests vary in OPDs across the province currently.

She said patients in emergency and patients who have been admitted will be provided the tests for free.

The minister said the government will be introducing a medical teaching institutions system in the province which will allow government doctors to do private practice in the evening in hospital premises.

She said government hospitals have suitable rooms which can be utilised for earning revenue, which can be spent on improving health facilities.

Dr Rashid said the government is introducing health cards in the province to provide better health facilities to those who cannot pay for treatment in private hospitals and that the cards can also be used to avail facilities in private health centres.

She said the government wants to improve facilities in public hospitals as well as give poor patients access to facilities available in private hospitals.

Those who can afford to should get treated in private clinics in public hospitals as this will benefit low-income patients.

On the other hand, Young Doctors Association Punjab Chairman Dr Shoaib Tarar criticised the revised rates for pathology tests and said the provincial government was moving towards the privatisation of public hospitals.

He said poor patients will have to pay Rs50,000 for a C-section in public hospitals and private patients will have to pay double that.

Having a complete blood picture done was free before and patients will have to pay Rs450 for it now.

The test costs Rs500 in private laboratories, he told Dawn.

He suggested government revise its decision or people would not be able to get free treatment at public hospitals. He said the government’s policies are against the people.

PPP on Sunday also condemned the decision to increase the rates of pathology tests in government hospitals and said the PTI government is making life difficult for people.

In a statement, PPP Central Deputy Information Secretary Munawar Anjum said Imran Khan’s tsunami has made getting healthcare difficult for people.

“We reject any revised charges and inflation in the country. The poor are already facing problems making ends meet as it is and the increase in the prices of laboratory tests will put more of a burden on them,” he said.

He suggested the prime minister improve health services provided in government-run hospitals instead of issuing health cards.

“The health cards are useless if people are not able to go to government hospitals,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2019