Doctors Association Kashmir today on Thursday welcomed the order issued by state administration where in fresh directions are given to hospital authorities to ensure that patients get diagnostic services in public hospitals on uniform rates across the state. The authorities were directed to implement the directions in letter and spirit to ensure all patients get diagnostic services in public hospitals on nominal prescribed charges.“We were pushing for uniform rate of diagnostic tests across the state and we want people to question the hospital authorities if they try to overcharge them,” DAK President, Dr Suahil Naik said.People should approach grievance cell of the health and medical education department to file their complaints if hospital authorities are accused of not providing diagnostics services to the patients at prescribed rates. Why should people pay hefty amount for diagnostic tests in government hospitals? Our government hospitals are not meant for fund generations Dr Naik added.While lambasting health administrators, he said that the actual problem lies with system where in juniors, inefficient, incompetent persons are parachuted and promoted as hospital administrators.
In a statement to Valley Media Service, Dr Suhail said that they don't have an iota of idea to project the annual finances required for providing diagnostic facilities at nominal charges to finance department or state government. With the result state government fails in keeping budgetary allocations for same and a financial gap is generated at gross root level. Therefore health administrators then charge extra and exorbitant rates from poor patients to run the system uniformly.Reformative changes at gross root level are required to get vibrant and patient friendly system. The need of minute is that health department is in dire need of intellectually effective health administration, who shall serve purpose in framing state health budget, DAK General secretary, Dr Owais H Dar said.“Adequate funds must be provided to the hospitals to meet out day to day demands as per requirements, he added.Until there is deadwood running hospital affairs, the health care system is bound to deteriorate and degenerate with passage of time.It is moral and ethical responsibility of states financial department to keep a full-fledged budget for diagnostic facilities, Senior Executive member of DAK Dr Mir Mushtaq said.Hospital development fund should be paid to dedicated contractual employees of hospital and on day to day repair and maintenance of hospitals he further added.DAK thanked social activists, media fraternity and civil societies for raising parallel voice with DAK, whenever it is desired in the interest of patient care.(VMS)