Kathmandu, Nov. 21
The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has
instructed private medical colleges and public hospitals to make their service charges
publicly available. This move follows complaints from the service seekers about
overcharging patients.
Following the complaints from several citizens about
being unaware of the charges for medical services, Health and Population
Minister Pradeep Paudel on Thursday issued the directive, emphasising the need
for transparency so that everyone can access and understand the fee structures.
Responding to the minister’s intervention, the Ministry’s
Quality Measurement and Regulation Division has issued a circular requiring
healthcare institutions to publish their service charges.
In the letter, the ministry has asked all health
institutions to display their fees on their websites and ensure that patients
can easily access this information. Hospitals and medical colleges have also
been instructed to disclose details such as charges for surgeries, bed
categories, radiology services, and laboratory tests. Additionally, fees for
tickets and other services must also be published for public awareness.
“The ministry will monitor whether the institutions
have complied with the directives,” said Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, Spokesperson
of the MoHP. “In the first phase, inspections will be conducted. If there is non-compliance,
action will be taken as per the rules,” he added.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 November 2024.
No comments:
Post a Comment