Government policy is to provide free treatment, along with Rs 1,000 as transport fare for returning home, to kala-azar patients, who normally come from impoverished communities. But Koshi Zonal Hospital is charging the patients Rs 300 each. [break]
Similarly, those coming for HIV tests are made to cough up Rs 300 and malaria patients Rs 100, unlike at government hospitals across the country that provide free treatment and consultancy for kala-azar, HIV and malaria.
The poor in the eastern region are being hard hit by the hospital´s whimsical policy. Staff at the hospital claim that it has been charging patients for treatment that should have been provided for free as per the directives of the Hospital Development Committee.
“They used to charge for free treatment when I joined the hospital three years ago,” lab technician Ashok Shivakoti told myrepublica.com.
Doctors and other staff claimed that the hospital management charges the patients as the hospital is running at a loss.
“The poor patients don´t know that the facilities they are paying for are to be provided free and the hospital is capitalizing on their innocence,” Shivakoti stated. Another lab technician, Revati Pokharel, who was transferred here from Jhapa five months ago, spoke of how he was baffled by the hospital´s policy.
District Public Health Officer Navaraj Subba said the hospital management and development committee should be punished for charging patients for services that should be free. “This is making a mockery of the health policy. Everyone involved in this should be brought to book,” Subba opined and promised to draw the attention of the hospital to the issue.
Chairman of the Hospital Development Committee Nandu Sardar said he was not aware of what was happening. “I´m unaware. I will talk with the administration on the issue,” Sardar said.
The hospital has also unilaterally hiked fees for all services since June, saying that it is making a loss. The hospital has claimed that it hires doctors on its own as the government has not been able to send doctors as per the allocated quota.
“Doctors on leave don´t return while there is also no replacement for doctors transferred away. So, we have been forced to recruit more doctors on our own,” Sardar argued.
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