Pvt hospitals not giving free treatment to poor: Oxfam

As per a Delhi High Court order passed in 2007,and upheld by a Supreme Court judgement last month,37 hospitals that obtained land on subsidised rates are mandated to provide 10 per cent of their beds and 25 per cent of their total OPD facilities to people under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota.

The study was conducted between October 2010 and June 2011.

While four of the hospitals fell in the category of centres of research,three of them — which were originally launched as ‘charitable trusts’ — had entered into collaboration with “hospital chains”.

All the hospitals stated that only “curative and life-saving procedures” were available under the EWS quota.

According to the study,two out of nine hospitals showed zero-use of the EWS quota.

Preeti Nayak,principal investigator of the study,said,“Eight out of nine hospitals used to ask for documents such as BPL cards,income certificates or residence proof to assess the eligibility criteria for EWS. However,the Delhi HC guidelines,upheld by the Supreme Court,say private hospitals cannot screen patients. They should give free treatment,on the basis of an affidavit circulated by the government to all hospitals.”

As per the SC order,all patients with a monthly income of less than Rs 6,040 are eligible for free treatment,diagnostic and surgical facilities and admission.

Nayak said many hospital officials were reluctant to provide EWS treatment only on the basis of “looking poor”. Only one hospital had displayed the “rights of patients” under the EWS quota.