DAK Hails Govt, Calls It Patient-Friendly Move

Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Thursday welcomed the order issued by administration where in fresh directions are given to hospital authorities to ensure that patients get diagnostic services in public hospitals on uniform rates across the state.

In a statement issued here, DAK hailed government, saying it was a patient-friendly move.

The authorities were directed to implement the directions in letter and spirit to ensure all patients get diagnostic services in public hospitals on nominal prescribed charges.

President, Doctors Association Kashmir, Dr Suahil Naik, said that “we were pushing for uniform rate of diagnostic tests across the state and we want people to question the hospital authorities if they try to overcharge them,” he said.

“People should approach grievance cell of the health and medical education department to file their complaints if hospital authorities are accused of not providing diagnostics services to the patients at prescribed rates. Why should people pay hefty amount for diagnostic tests in government hospitals? Our government hospitals are not meant for fund generations.”

While lambasting health administrators Dr Naik added that the actual problem lies with system where in juniors, inefficient, incompetent persons are parachuted and promoted as hospital administrators.

“They don’t have an iota of idea to project the annual finances required for providing diagnostic facilities at nominal charges to finance department or state government,” he alleged.

“With the result state government fails in keeping budgetary allocations for same and a financial gap is generated at gross root level. Therefore health administrators then charge extra and exorbitant rates from poor patients to run the system uniformly.”

DAK said that the reformative changes at grossroots were required to get vibrant and patient friendly system.

“The need of minute is that health department is in dire need of intellectually effective health administration, who shall serve purpose in framing state health budget,” DAK spokesperson said, adding “the adequate funds must be provied to the hospitals to meet out day to day demands as per requirements.”

Meanwhile senior executive member, DAK, Dr Mir Mushtaq, alleged that until there is deadwood running hospital affairs, the health care system is bound to deteriorate and degenerate with passage of time.

“It is moral and ethical responsibility of states financial department to keep a full-fledged budget for diagnostic facilities,” he said.

“Hospital development fund should be paid to dedicated contractual employees of hospital and on day to day repair and maintenance of hospitals.”