Right under the nose of the district health authorities, private laboratories in Goniana are illegally admitting suspected dengue patients and treating them.
Besides overcharging the patients, such laboratories and some private clinics are not even reporting the positive dengue cases to the district health authorities.
For instance, Sikander Laboratory, which is situated just opposite a government-run Community Health Centre in Goniana, is treating a number of suspected dengue patients.
Patients are informed about their falling platelet count and then treated by lab technicians and paramedical staff. A number of patients are put on glucose drips. Overcrowded with patients, the lab is even forcing some to lie on the floor.
A patient said: “My platelet count has fallen much which I got tested from this laboratory. This is my third glucose drip. The Civil Hospital is overcrowded and private hospitals are charging too much. Here there is no fee for doctor. They only charge us for glucose”.
Sources claimed that the private laboratory owners in Goniana town were overcharging from patients while the poor who were unaware of free treatment at government hospitals preferred laboratories.
They said the laboratories were charging Rs400-Rs500 per glucose bottle from patients, besides concealing information on their being tested positive or negative for dengue.
Bathinda resident Sanjiv Mittal, who got two members of his family treated from a private hospital, had lodged a complaint with the health authorities about the concealing of information by private hospitals, but no action was taken.
Besides overcharging the patients, such laboratories and some private clinics are not even reporting the positive dengue cases to the district health authorities.
For instance, Sikander Laboratory, which is situated just opposite a government-run Community Health Centre in Goniana, is treating a number of suspected dengue patients.
Patients are informed about their falling platelet count and then treated by lab technicians and paramedical staff. A number of patients are put on glucose drips. Overcrowded with patients, the lab is even forcing some to lie on the floor.
A patient said: “My platelet count has fallen much which I got tested from this laboratory. This is my third glucose drip. The Civil Hospital is overcrowded and private hospitals are charging too much. Here there is no fee for doctor. They only charge us for glucose”.
Sources claimed that the private laboratory owners in Goniana town were overcharging from patients while the poor who were unaware of free treatment at government hospitals preferred laboratories.
They said the laboratories were charging Rs400-Rs500 per glucose bottle from patients, besides concealing information on their being tested positive or negative for dengue.
Bathinda resident Sanjiv Mittal, who got two members of his family treated from a private hospital, had lodged a complaint with the health authorities about the concealing of information by private hospitals, but no action was taken.
