Private hospitals warned against charging quake victims

KATHMANDU, May 6: Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has warned of stern action against private hospitals that are found charging earthquake victims.

The warning of the MoHP comes after scores of earthquake victims complained at the ministry that the private hospital refused to provide free treatment.

"We have warned some hospitals and cautioned them not to charge earthquake victims for services," Dr Guna Raj Lohani, the spokesperson of MoHP, said. He informed that several hospitals in the capital were even refusing to admit patients who were critically injured in the earthquake and asking them to deposit treatment fees first.Some patients complained that the hospitals have been asking them to pay for medicines despite government instructions of free care, including the medicines.

The MoHP has asked all the hospitals, private and government, to provide free treatment to earthquake victims. The ministry has also promised to reimburse treatment costs to the hospitals later.

A source at the ministry informed that some renowned private hospitals were presenting fake data about patients to claim compensation from the ministry.

Dr Lohani, however, refused to reveal the names of the hospitals that have been refusing to provide free treatment.

"Since the hospitals have also been supporting the government in its effort to treat victims, it will not fair to defame them," added Dr Lohani.

Dr Lohani informed that some private hospitals have been charging those patients who used cabin services.

Norvic International Hospital said that most of the earthquake victims have discharged from the hospital and the hospital would charge them after second follow up.

"We have decided to provide free treatment up to first and second follow up. We cannot provide free treatment for an indefinite period," RP Mainali, DGM of Corporate Communication at Norvic Hospital, said.

Dr Lohani informed that the ministry has also decided to provide medicines and financial aid to hospitals that have been providing treatment to the earthquake victims.

He informed that the MoHP has decided to release operation fee to the hospitals. "If they have conducted 10 surgery, we have decided to release operation cost of five immediately," he said, adding, "The cost for remaining surgeries will be released after verifications."

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