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CJP Nisar says court will announce verdict if medical fees not reviewed
LAHORE: Hospitals should not charge patient amounts more than that set by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) for treatment, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar remarked on Sunday.
The CJP made the remarks during the hearing of a case regarding exorbitantly high medical fees.
Doctors Hospital and Medical Center Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ghazanfar Ali Shah appeared before the court over the case. The CJP told Shah to close down his medical facility if serving the public was not possible.
Shah was among the owners of private hospitals who on Saturday were summoned to appear before the court.
CJP observed that private hospitals were charging Rs100,000 per patient for stent implants despite directives to charge within the proscribed limits.
The CJP inquired from Shah why he was overcharging and overruling court orders, adding that people had complained that they were overcharged at the Doctors Hospital with a patient given a Rs4 million bill after staying at the hospital for 30 days.
CJP Nisar observed that people from low-income groups should be considered when setting price levels.
He announced that a verdict will be announced if medical fares are not reviewed.
Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general also informed the court that the hospital was set up on a residential plot.
On Friday, CJP Nisar took a suo motu notice of the expensive healthcare facilities being provided in private hospitals of the provincial capital.
“Private hospitals fleece patients by charging them hefty amount on a per-day basis,” the chief justice remarked while hearing a case of public interest at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry.
He also summoned the owners of more than 12 private hospitals to appear before the court on Sunday.
Notices were also issued to the health secretary and Punjab health care commission.
It merits mention that the CJP has taken notices of loopholes in the health sector in Punjab earlier as well. In such a hearing, he took notice of disparity in salaries of doctors working at government-owned health facilities, saying those called from abroad are paid a hefty sum while the local ones are given a small amount.
