Srinagar:How many complaints have been received against doctors for overcharging patients during 2016 and 2017, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court asked government on Tuesday and directed it to file a better affidavit in this regard.
The direction was passed by a division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey following perusal of the report by states Health and Medical Education, giving some details about doctors belonging to states Health Department and not others.
The court reiterated that details are to be provided with regard to all doctors and not just for those working in the health department alone. It also reiterated its earlier order and directed the state counsel to ensure that the directions passed earlier are complied with before next date of hearing in the PIL.
The health and medical education department was supposed to provide information by way of an affidavit, indicating the number of complaints received by it against those doctors who have been overcharging their patients and action in respect of these complaints.
The court also enquires from the state counsel regarding wide publicity in newspapers about the order (dated 13.2.2017) issued by Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizers Department which relates to capping of the prices of coronary stents. A circular was issued by National Pharmaceutical Authority (NPPA) which indicates that all the hospitals have been directed to abide by the order of 13.2.17.
The court directed the counsel to ensure that court direction passed in this connection on May 8 this year are complied with by giving the wide publicity in ten daily newspapers having large circulation in both divisions.
The matter refers to Medical Corruption” and it was based on a report on National newspaper in its edition dated 12.6.16, publishing an open letter by one G S Grewal to the Prime Minister in which he stated that primarily there are three types of medical corruption — exorbitantly priced drugs , cuts and commission to referring doctors and referring patients for diagnostic tests and medical examination without the actual need.
Grewal said that there is urgent need to purge the health care system to make it affordable.
He had appealed for legislating a strong law with its strict implementation which alone can act as strong deterrent against the medical corruption, cheating and fraud.
In his letter, Grewal had further stated that in absence of a strong law, desperate and helpless patients will continue to get exploited, fleeced and even stripped of their possessions, earnings and savings.
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