Dengue patients not getting free treatment

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
Dengue patients in Bathinda Civil Hospital, despite having been confirmed as suffering from the infection, are not getting free treatment as per government norms.
The attendants of patient Yogesh Kumar claimed that dengue had been confirmed few days ago after the MAC Eliza test, but they were still being charged for RBC and other blood tests.
Like Yogesh Kumar, Sukhwinder Singh, Jaswinder Kaur and many others are paying for the CBC test in which platelets are counted and the test is conducted almost every day.
“No test is free here. We are purchasing medicines from the Jan Aushadhi stall. If these are not available there, we have to buy from the market,” said Sukhwinder Singh.
It has been announced that dengue would be treated free. The patient only has to pay the charges for SDP (Single Donor Plasma) when the patient’s platelet count is less than 10,000.
Relatives of patient Manjeet Kaur of Bathinda, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital, alleged that they were refused SDP unit at night last week.
“Despite having donors and paying the fee of Rs 8,000 for the SDP unit, we were refused by the staff as they claimed that they did not have permission to operate the machine at night. We went a private hospital and had paid Rs 12,000 for SDP. Now, the authorities are not returning the money,” they said.
Treatment in government-run hospitals is supposed to be free, including the blood tests, CBC test and MAC Eliza test. The patient has to bear the file charges – Rs 120 per patient — and the cost of SDP kit that is Rs 7,000-8000.
On dengue-confirmed patients being charged in the hospital for CBC and other tests, Bathinda civil surgeon Dr Tejwant Singh Randhawa said, “Patients who are suspected of dengue have to pay until they are confirmed with the MAC Eliza test. The confirmed patient cannot be charged for tests or medicines as the treatment is free. We are not charging them at all. The patient will have to pay for SDP units that cost up to Rs 8,000. I will look into the matter.”
Cost in private hospital
The cost of treatment in private hospitals is many times that in a government one. It cost up to Rs 5,000 for different tests, including blood tests, in private hospitals. In government hospital, the cost of blood tests does not go beyond Rs 1,000.
Vijay Kumar, husband of a patient admitted to a private hospital, said, “My wife’s treatment cost Rs 35,000. She was admitted for six days.”
 
Top