PESHAWAR, Sept 18: The ANP-led provincial government is finding it hard to check the charging of high consultation fee by doctors from patients in private clinics due to lack of a mechanism to implement the rules notified four years ago.

The government had notified the rules with a view to regulate private practice by doctors, but no mechanism was developed to implement the same, sources said.

“Medical consultants, including professors, associate professors and assistant professors, receive Rs400 to Rs500 as consultation fee from patients in gross violation of rules,” sources in the health secretariat said.

According to the fee structure notified in October 2003, consultants were required to receive fee according to their seniorities, but the government’s directives have fallen on deaf ears and doctors receive consultation fee from patients at their own will.

Health officials told Dawn that there was no mechanism at the disposal of the health department to reign in doctors charging high fees.

“Even the federal government lacks regulation for doctors’ fee. The federal government doesn’t support the provincial government in implementing its regulation,” they said, adding that health was a provincial subject and should be regulated by the provinces themselves.

The health department also requires police force to conduct raids on doctors’ clinics and other private outlets, but the department has failed in getting the services of police and the practice is continuing unabated.

“The previous MMA government had prepared and notified the regulations but didn’t pursue them,” the officials said, adding that the new PPP and ANP coalition government didn’t have this issue on its agenda.

According to law, professors and district level specialists are required to charge Rs250 and Rs150 from patients as consultation fee. Under the rules, critically-ill patients requiring hospitalisation need to be referred to public sector health facilities without charging fee from them in private clinics, but doctors receive fee from such patients before sending them to hospitals.

“Some doctors receive Rs500 or more from patients, although professors, associate and assistant professors should receive Rs250, Rs200 and Rs150, respectively, from patients”, the officials said. According to them, even senior registrars, who by virtue of their designations should not do private practice and should look after the hospital round-the-clock, were running clinics and charging fee as much as Rs500.