Govt to fix diagnostic fees at private medical facilities

The government is set to fix medical diagnostic fees at private hospitals under the upcoming “Health Protection Act,” Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen said Saturday during a visit to the Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial Hospital in Gazipur.

When reporters asked about the high costs charged at the Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial Hospital, which is operated by a Malaysian company, the health minister said the government would try to align its policies for all kinds of health facilities operating across the country.

The proposed “Health Protection Act” has been stuck in bureaucratic red tape for nearly a decade. It has been drafted and redrafted several times, but never passed. Urgency in passing the law somewhat grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, but subsided shortly afterwards.

The act aims to regulate private healthcare facilities to contain sufferings of people seeking medical services in these places.

It would address overcharging by hospital authorities and medical negligence on part of physicians, and as such, if passed would become the first of its kind to seek to prevent such malpractices in the country.

The health minister said Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial Hospital would be made more dynamic and efficient. Established in April 2015, the facility is the country’s first integrated management system (IMS) certified hospital as well as nursing college.

After touring the hospital, the health minister praised the services provided there.

The government is set to fix medical diagnostic fees at private hospitals under the upcoming “Health Protection Act,” Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen said Saturday during a visit to the Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial Hospital in Gazipur.

When reporters asked about the high costs at the Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial Hospital, which is operated by a Malaysian company, the health minister said the government would try to align its policies for all kinds of health facilities operating across the country.

The proposed “Health Protection Act” has been stuck in bureaucratic red tape for nearly a decade. It has been drafted and redrafted several times, but never passed. Urgency in passing the law somewhat grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, but subsided shortly afterwards.

The act aims to regulate private healthcare facilities to contain sufferings of people seeking medical services in these places.

It would address overcharging by hospital authorities and medical negligence on part of physicians, and as such, if passed would become the first of its kind to seek to prevent such malpractices in the country.

The health minister said Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial Hospital would be made more dynamic and efficient. Established in April 2015, the facility is the country’s first integrated management system (IMS) certified hospital as well as nursing college.

After touring the hospital, the health minister praised the services provided there.