Costly Clinics

The crowd at private hospitals and clinics is an indication that people, no matter how much they have to pay for getting health services there, have started ignoring public health centers. It is natural because the doctors at the government hospitals hardly give time to check them well. Moreover, they do not even hesitate to ask them to visit their private clinics for a thorough check up.

However, visiting a doctor at private hospitals or clinics is a double trouble. The illness is already there. On top of it the doctors’ fee seems to rise every couple of months. One never knows why and on what basis doctors increase their service charges. A few days ago when I asked a doctor why his fee has been increased to Rs. 300 from Rs. 250? His answer was perplexing. "Because other doctors have also increased their fees."

Any increment in the tariff of public services, such as hospitals, water, electricity and transportation must be justified by reasons. But because the government authorities turn their deaf ears it is the ordinary people who are forced to bear all the burdens.

Kamal Ghimire
Buddhanagar, Kathmandu

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