- विज्ञापन -
There are preparations to stop free tests for out-patients in Himachal’s government hospitals. At the same time, money will be charged for the slip too. There are preparations to fix the rate of the slip at Rs 10. The health department has started the process for this. The department has sent a proposal to the government to fix the fee for the test. The final decision has to be taken by the government. However, patients undergoing treatment in hospitals will continue to get the facility of free tests.
The department argues that ever since the facility of free tests has been started, people are getting full body tests done every month or after three months. This is increasing the burden on the state government. There are also long queues of people in laboratories to get the test report. At present, around 130 free tests are being done in Himachal.
In Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), money has been started to be charged for ECG and ultrasound for outdoor patients. Now the government is considering to stop free tests. During the tenure of the previous government, free test facility was made available to the people in hospitals. Apart from medical colleges, labs of private companies have been set up in civil hospitals and community health centers. Patients are tested free of cost in these laboratories, but the government has to bear the cost of these tests. Every year, the state government pays crores of rupees worth of bills to the company for the tests.
Audit of Himcare also started
The government has also started auditing the huge bills under the Himcare scheme. Chief Minister Sukhu had talked about getting the audit done during the budget session. Actually, there has been a scam of crores in Himcare. There are allegations that bills of thousands were made for eye operations and colds. Bills of lakhs have also been made for hernia operations. Doctors have registered in the Himcare scheme and built big hospital buildings. There has been a lot of debate between the ruling party and the opposition on this issue in the assembly.
