VIJAYAWADA: Private hospitals across the state are drawing severe criticism for collecting exorbitant amounts for the treatment of viral and seasonal fevers, and ignoring the directions of the government to provide cashless treatment for dengue.
While the government has passed orders to provide cashless treatment for dengue, private hospitals have set high fees for treatment.
K Bhanu Prasad, a relative of a patient with viral fever at Vijayawada GGH, told TOI, “My aunt has been sick for the last five days. Doctors at a nursing home at Mylavaram diagnosed that her platelet count has fallen, indicating dengue. They collected Rs 80,000 for three days of treatment. I’m not in a position to bear such a huge cost and discharged the patient against medical advice in order to get treatment at Vijayawada GGH,” he said.
Private hospitals are also collecting high charges for single donor platelets that cost around Rs 18,000 per unit. “I admitted my four-year-old son to a private hospital on Nakkal Road after he contracted dengue. Doctors asked me to get single donor platelets. They suggested I take platelets from a specific blood bank. I was unable to afford it and requested them to inject normal platelets, which they denied,” said B S Ravi Prasad, a private employee from Chuttugunta.
Officials of the health wing have said they will soon initiate action against hospitals that are denying patients admission under the YSR Aarogyasri scheme.
