Patients can consult specialist doctors at Tk 300 in govt hospitals

Patients can now consult specialist doctors at Tk 300 in public hospitals as the government is going to start private chambers of the doctors in government hospitals from March.

Health ministry sources said a draft policy regarding practice of doctors at private chambers in respective government hospitals has been already prepared in this regard and it will finalised soon.

As per the draft policy titled ‘institutional practice guidelines’, the doctors will give consultation service to the patients at their private chambers set up in selected public hospitals with an extra fee after office hours or from after 2:00pm.

The patients can consult specialist doctors like professors and associate professors atTk300 and Tk150. At the same time, surgery will also be available for Tk800-4,000, the ministry sources said.

The health ministry has planned to launch the private chambers of the doctors by March 1. The services will be available at 83 government hospitals by March 31 and at all public hospitals by August 31.

The ministry formed a high-powered committee headed by additional secretary Md Saidur Rahman on January 22 to launch the private chambers of the doctors at government hospitals. The committee was comprised of 20 members initially and later six more members were included in the body.

The committee has already held two meetings and they will hold a meeting on Thursday to finalise the draft of the ‘institutional practice guidelines’. Later, the draft will be placed to the ministry for approval.

At present, doctors of the public hospitals see patients usually from 8:00am to 2:00pm while most of the doctors then practise at their private chambers or in private hospitals or clinics.

The draft guideline said the patients now consult the doctors after collecting tickets with fixed fees at their private chambers in the government hospitals from 3:00pm till 6:00pm. This timing may be extended till 7:00pm, if necessary.

The doctors will sit in the chambers on roster basis. Tickets can be taken from 2:30pm to 5:00pm from the respective government hospitals.

However, after the end of time of private practice in government hospitals, the doctors can also give consultation service elsewhere.

As per the draft guideline, the fees of the senior doctors will be fixed at Tk 300. Of the Tk 300, senior doctor will get Tk 200, his/her assistant will get Tk 50 and the rest Tk 50 will be deposited in the government fund.

In the same way, the junior doctors will provide consultation service at Tk 200. Of the Tk 200, the doctor will get Tk 100. The rest amount will be given to his assistant and to government fund.

The patients will also be able to get diagnosis services like imaging and pathological tests at the government hospitals.

In district and upazila hospitals, the doctors’ consultation services may be fixed at Tk 150.

The doctors’ private services will be launched at 50 upazila hospitals, in 20 district hospitals, in eight divisional hospitals and in five specialised hospitals across the country.

Earlier on January 22, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque at a press conference said doctors will give consultation services at private chambers in government hospitals and medical colleges from March.

Patients have been taking consultation services from specialist doctors at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in evening shift (from 2:00 pm) at Tk 200 since 2011.