Display fees, charges for treatment

Private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres must display the charts of their charges and fees in public view, the High Court directed yesterday.

Health secretary, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council have been asked to execute the order within 15 days after receiving the order. 

In response to a writ petition, the HC also asked them to form a committee by experts concerned for making rules and policy to monitor the clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres under the Medical Practice and Private Clinics and Laboratories (Regulation) Ordinance, 1982, within 60 days after getting the HC order.

The court also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain within four weeks why they should not be ordered to take steps for setting up ICU/CCU units in all general hospitals at the district headquarters.

It also asked respondents to explain why they should not be ordered to take step so that licences are collected from the authorities concerned for establishing diagnostic centres and clinical laboratories.

Health secretary, DGHS director general, Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, the inspector general of police and the director general of Rapid Action Battalion have been made respondents.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the order and rule after hearing a writ petition filed by Human Rights Lawyers and Securing Environment Society of Bangladesh seeking necessary order so that the private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres run well.

The bench fixed October 7 for passing further order on this issue.

Bashir Ahmed appeared for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Masud Hasan Chowdhury Parag represented the government.