Govt issues orders on free dialysis at Civil Hospital

Bathinda, June 25

For patients suffering from kidney ailments, there is some good news. Now, patients will not have to spend money on dialysis at the Civil Hospital.

State Health Minister Brahm Mohindra had on Friday made an announcement after which the health department has issued instructions to all the civil hospitals in the state to conduct free dialysis. Letters have also been issued to the civil surgeons in this regard.

The Health Minister also stated that if any civil hospital is charging fee despite his orders, then the people should complain to the senior officials and action would be initiated against the civil surgeon concerned.

Apart from the civil hospitals, government medical colleges at Faridkot, Amritsar and Patiala have also been included in the list of hospitals where dialysis would be done free of cost.

At present, the Health Department was charging Rs 750 as fee for the dialysis done at civil hospital. A patient who has to get the dialysis done four times in a month had to spend Rs 3,000 on it, while in private hospitals, the cost of one-time dialysis is Rs 1,500- Rs 2,000.

At Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital, Bathinda, there are two units of dialysis. Every day, two to three patients get their dialysis done here. On an average, around 50-60 patients get this service here every month. Now, with this service being announced by the state government, it is expected that the rush would increase here in the coming days.

The Health Department had recruited 58 radiographers and two ECJ technicians. The department has even set a target of spending Rs 1 crore on free dialysis service in the state in the first phase. — TNS

Action against official

• The Health Minister also stated that if any civil hospital is charging fee despite his orders, then the people should complain to the senior officials and action would be initiated against the civil surgeon concerned.