The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the Health department to issue orders clarifying the treatment cost that should be charged by the private hospitals as per the Kerala Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation ) act.
SHRC Judicial member K. Bijunath directed the secretary of Health department to clarify the cost based on the complaint filed by M. Haneefa, a resident of Perumbalam, who alleged that a private hospital collected an exorbitant charge of ₹5,000 per day for treating his five-month-old baby in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Kasaragod District Medical Officer (DMO), who submitted a report, said the incident happened on December 18, 2019. He informed the commission that the private hospital gave the right treatment to baby suffering from breathing problems. The baby was later treated for specialised treatment at the Kannur Government Medical College Hospital.
The DMO informed the commission that although the Kerala Clinical Establishment Act was in force, no specific norms or government orders were available regarding the treatment rates in private hospitals. Therefore, the DMO pointed out that they would not be able to interfere in the amounts charged by private hospital for the treatment at the ICU.
While passing the order in the matter, the commission observed that such complaints could not be resolved if the treatment rates were not clarified.
