Health Dept cracks down on pvt labs coercing patients for unnecessary tests

Srinagar, Feb 02:
The Health Department Kashmir has taken strong note of the complaints regarding the private labs forcing patients to do the medical tests privately despite having such testing facilities available in government hospitals.
The department received several complaints in which people highlighted that they were forced by the agents/touts of different private testing labs outside government hospitals to do the tests privately in their labs, a practice rampant across Kashmir valley.
“It has come to the notice that some agents/touts employed by different private testing labs outside govt. health facilities motivate patients to carry out medical tests privately despite such testing facilities available in govt. hospitals,” DHSK said in an order.
To address this issue, the health department has directed all Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents of government hospitals to take all necessary measures.
They have been directed to discourage such unethical/unfair practices with the support of law enforcement agencies and encourage patients to report any such incidents.
The CMOs and hospital heads have been instructed to implement a system for monitoring and addressing such complaints under intimation to the health department.