Patna: The rising cases of dengue are turning out to be a money making business for the private hospitals in Bihar. They are charging dengue fee to the tune of Rs 3,000 which is the highest in the country.
Moreover, the Nitish Kumar government has no means to keep a tab on private hospitals in Patna or elsewhere in Bihar. Unlike states like Delhi and Haryana, the Bihar government has not fixed the rate of the dengue fee.
The health system in Bihar compared to other states is not good. Hence, a large number of patients head towards the private hospitals. This is turning out to be a money spinner at the risk of human lives.
“My son has had a fever for three days. I went to Samay hospital, located at Saguna Mor for the treatment and consulted a paediatrician Dr Vijay Kumar Singh. He immediately referred for the test of dengue for elisa and dengue IgG,IgM,Ns1 and charged Rs 4200 including Rs 3000 for the dengue elisa test. I don’t mind the test charges despite they being very high but he did not recommend the Vidal test to ascertain typhoid,” said Kavita Sharma, the mother of the 14 year old patient.
“The doctor also asked us to admit the child in the hospital as dengue IgM was tested positive despite the platelet count being 1.5 lakh. I refused. Shockingly, the hospital has not given a positive or negative report of the dengue elisa test and taken Rs 3000,” Sharma said.
“We followed the treatment for the next four days but his fever did not come down. When we consulted another doctor, he recommended a Vidal test to ascertain typhoid. After his treatment, my son’s fever came down and he is normal now,” she added.
(IANS)
