Ensure fees for medical tests are displayed at gates

The High Court yesterday directed the government to ensure display of charts containing fees for medical tests of Covid-19 patients at the main gates of hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres across the country.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Khairul Alam also gave a timeframe of seven days to execute the order.

During the hearing of a writ, the Directorate General of Health Services submitted a revised chart of the medical tests' fees before the court through the attorney general's office.

Human Rights Lawyers and Securing Environment Society of Bangladesh (HRLSESB) filed a writ with the court seeking necessary directives regarding this.

Meanwhile, the HC bench also ordered the health secretary and director general of DGHS to submit a revised chart of other medical tests and a report on the progress of a health commission formation within a month.

The court fixed January 20, 2021 as the date for further hearing and passing order on this issue, petitioner's lawyer Bashir Ahmed told The Daily Star.

According to the revised chart prepared by the DGHS, CBC test would cost Tk 500, CRP test Tk 600, LFT test Tk 1,000, S Creatimr test Tk 800, S Electrolgle test Tk 1,000, D Dimer test Tk 1,500, S Ferrition test Tk 1,200, S Procalcitonin test Tk 2,000, CT Scan-Chest test Tk 6,000, Cht x-ray-Analogue Tk 400, and Cht x-ray-Digital Tk 600.

Once the price chart is displayed at the gates of hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres, people would not have to pay extra money, the petitioner's lawyer said.

Assistant Attorney General Kalipado Mridha represented the state during the court proceedings.

During hearing the writ petition, the HC bench on September 1 sought the revised charts of fees and charges for medical tests at private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres.

Following the same writ petition, the HC on July 24, 2018 had directed that private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres to display the charts of their charges and fees in public view.

Health secretary, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council had been asked to execute the directives.