Dengue patients have resorted to private hospitals and medical laboratories for diagnostic tests and treatment being provided at exorbitant rates, as government hospitals have failed to provide adequate dengue treatment, Pakistan Today learnt on Tuesday.
More than 2,000 citizens are suffering from dengue in the city and the number is continuing to rise. Private hospitals and diagnostic laboratories, making best use of the panic situation, are charging heavily for the tests and medical aid and are earning profits.
Diagnostic tests and treatment facilities are being provided free-of-cost at all government hospitals but the rush and unfriendly atmosphere of public hospitals is dissuading people to seek treatment at these hospitals, which have set up special dengue isolation wards, which have fallen short of beds for the patients. Dengue diagnosis has also become difficult owing to never ending queues of patients waiting with their blood samples at laboratories which are incapable of catering to such a large number of patients.
‘THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF BEDS’: However Health Department has denied that there was shortage of beds for dengue patients in public hospitals. The department’s spokesperson said people suffering from all types of fever suspected themselves to be infected with dengue so every one could not be treated in dengue wards and only confirmed and critical dengue cases were being admitted in hospitals.
PRIVATE TREATMENT CHARGES: On the other hand, private laboratories in Lahore are charging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500 for carrying out diagnostic IgM (Immune globulin M) and IgG (Immune globulin G) tests through ELISA (The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) technique for dengue virus, while medical experts say that ELIZA screening does not cost more than Rs 500 to Rs 700. Earning abnormal profits in such a situation was not ethical, said a doctor at Services Hospital. Pakistan Today surveyed Chughtais Lahore Lab, Shaukat Khanum Lab, Aga Khan Diagnostic Laboratories and some other less known labs for the purpose. Medical experts claim that private practitioners and clinics were referring people for dengue tests without proper examination, which has resulted in a rush at private labs. Private hospitals in city are charging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 for a room, while the ward charges range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 4,000 for one patient.
KITS AVAILABILITY: However, contrary to last year, the platelets kits are available in enough quantity this year and the ratio of patients requiring these kits is lower, said Dr Tayyaba of Mayo Hospital, adding that the number of hemorrhagic fever patients was less this year.
‘PRIVATE LABS ARE DOING JUST FINE’: Institute of Public Health Dean Professor Yaqoob Qazi said that government health establishments could cater only 30-35 percent of population and rest of the portion was catered by private health establishments. According to him, if private hospitals and laboratories were making profits from the dengue tests and treatment services, it was nothing unfair but a reward of their services. In a recent development, health secretary has directed hospitals to check up dengue patients in out patient departments (OPDs) of government hospitals, while emergencies and medical laboratories of medical colleges have been instructed to perform diagnostic tests.
Private labs mint money as dengue count rises
