In a step to remove middlemen, to prevent overcharging and harassment of Afghani patients in Indian hospitals, the Afghanistan Government signed an agreement with 12 top hospitals in India on Friday to curb malpractices in medical tourism. As per the agreement the Afghani nationals will be treated at par with the Indian nationals now and will have to pay medical costs applicable to Indians instead of the higher rates for medical tourists.
These hospitals are Medanta, Apollo, BlK Super Specialty, Fortis, Max Smart Super Specialty, Dharamshila, JayPee Hospital, Moolchand, Asian Hospital, Primus, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre and Artemis Hospital. They will now directly get patients from Afghanistan with the support of its Public Health Ministry which will lead to elimination of middlemen and interpreters' services from the medical treatment costs.
Sources said in the absence of any formal agreement the touts were having a roaring business by taking cut both from the hospitals and patients. There were several complaints of overcharging and being misguided by interpreters. Sources added that even when easier low-cost medical procedures were available in hospitals, the middlemen and translators would misguide both patients and hospitals for expensive treatment in a bid to get higher cut. "If an operation cost was `1,00000 it would come to `1,70,000 or higher for Afghan nationals due to touts. Several patients had to sell off their houses and assets to get treated in private Indian hospitals," an official in Afghanistan embassy said.
As per the agreement these hospitals will now reject any middlemen coming in between patients and will report the matter to embassy and hire their own full time translators to facilitate Afghani patients who can work as a bridge between the hospital and patients. A special medical helpdesk will be set up in airports in New Delhi and Kabul and patients will be given hospital specific visa to ensure they are not taken for a ride when in India. Besides, there will be fixed treatment rates.
"The agreement will facilitate better services to Afghani nationals," said the Afghanistan ambassador. According to the Public Health Minister Dr Feroz, "this will mean a lot to individuals and provide relief to them," Dr Feroz said. He added that the Ministry will sensitise its citizens through campaigns and information on websites.