Despite repeated efforts, the lD Bhatt Government Hospital here continues to suffer from various problems. Gross negligence and carelessness of the managing committee of this Government hospital is proving detrimental to public interest.
One ultrasound machine installed at the lD Bhatt Government Hospital has been out of order for more than a year now. Due to this, those in need of an ultrasound scan have no other option but to visit private ultrasound centre in the city. A
radiologist has been been posted in this Government hospital since 2006 for conducting sonography, but the machine has been out of order for more than a year.
According to sources, hospital management and some doctors are not taking interest in the condition of the sonography machine. Sources further allege that the doctors receive fixed commissions from the private ultrasound centres for each patient referred by them. If sources are to be believed, a doctor gets up to `250 per patient per test from the private centres where they send the patients.
Private ultrasound centres are mushrooming in this town with an estimated 24 private ultrasound centres operating in the city. Some of these are running in a single room only. While it costs about `300 per ultrasound test in a Government hospital, the private centres charge up to `700 for the same test. The test of pregnant women is free in the Government hospitals but not in private centres.
It may also be mentioned that as per the Government orders, from the January 1 every year, the rates would be increased by 10 per cent automatically until there is any notification about not doing so. Chief Medical Superintendent of the lD Bhatt Government Hospital, Kashipur Dr Geeta Rawat was not available for her comment on the issue.