Small Scale Industries Minister and district in-charge Ramesh L. Jarkiholi was on Tuesday angry at certain private hospitals which, he said, were looting patients visiting for emergency and other healthcare services and directed the District Health and Family Welfare Officer to ensure that every private hospital in the district display boards showing fee/charges for every treatment and healthcare services.
Responding to complaints from the public, conveyed by P. Rajeev, MLA from Kudachi, at a meeting in Chikkodi, the Minister stressed the need for transparency in private hospitals.
Mr. Rajeev said that a hospital was charging Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 60,000 for treatment for snake-bite, whereas the actual cost was around Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 8,000. Private hospitals were looting patients based on their whims and fancies and this should be stopped to protect innocent patients from rural areas.
When Shashikala Jolle, MLA from Nippani, pointed out that doctors posted in rural health centres were highly irregular forcing patients to approach private hospitals, the Minister said that one doctor was looking after two or three primary health centres. However, he said, the location of rural doctors could be monitored through GPS system, which has been put to use on an experimental basis in some taluks.
Mr. Jarkiholi took serious note of the absence of the Executive Engineer of Hubballi Electricity Supply Company, Chikkodi, and the Child Development Project Officer of Athani.
On a complaint, Duryodhan Aihole, MLA, that HESCOM officials were harassing beneficiaries of Ganga Kalyan scheme and delaying power connection to their pumpsets, the Minister warned that HESCOM officials would face action for lapses, if any.
