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In Valley, private clinics, labs thrive on ailing public health sector 10/3/2015 12:29:34 AM Ishtiyaq Ahmad Early Times Report Srinagar, Oct 2: Kashmir Valley boasts of major government hospitals, but the patients have to rely on private clinics and laboratories. According to information gathered by Early Times from patients, hospitals' staff and other relevant quarters, most of the patients visiting public hospitals like SMHS, JVC, LD, JLNM are advised to see specialist doctors at their private clinics and get tests done from particular labs outside. Thousands of patients, including many from adjoining as well as far-flung areas, visit these Srinagar hospitals every day. Sources said that around 70 percent of the private laboratories where the patients are referred by the specialists lack necessary equipment. "In this situation, results of the tests are highly doubtful, putting the lives at risk," said a source. He said the government has no sufficient record of registered or unregistered private medical centers and laboratories whose number runs into hundreds. Many private medical centers, clinics and laboratories are said to be owned or being run on partnership basis by doctors working at the government hospitals. And doctors grab 50 percent commission on the cases they refer, sources say. Talking to this Early Times, the patients coming from distant areas complained that they faced great difficulties in getting treatment, forcing them to go to private clinics. Aliya, who had a missed abortion, said that private labs were charging up to Rs 900 for an ultrasonograpy. She and many others suspected manipulation by hospital staff to create conditions which would enable them to divert patients to private facilities for tests. Sources said some doctors at the SMHS hospital were asking the patients to get the tests done at selected private diagnostic centers. They said many of the poor patients aren't able to get the tests conducted at private labs. "We fail to understand why these doctors insist on doing tests at the private laboratories when state-of-the-art testing facilities are available here," some patients told Early Times outside the SMHS hospital.   Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network     Comment on this Story

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