Private medical care
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Parveen Haque
The growing private sector medical service providers are cattering to health needs of a large number of people. The private sector has made a place for itself in the business. The ground realities would support its further growth.
The private sector is running pathological testing centres, clinics and heart treatment facilities of international standard. The quality treatment offered and the medical tests have improved. It now costs less to get the services. An extra advantage is many patients opt for getting the service at home, instead of going abroad for it. It suits the middle and upper middle classes. It also opened up a new avenue for investment. But, the facilities for kidney dialysis, kidney transplantation and cancer treatment is far from adequate.
Thousands of kidney patients need dialysis. But the needed investment in more dialysis centres is not forthcoming. Kidney transplantation, orthopedic and cancer treatment also call for massive investment.
The private sector needs to be dynamic and more forthcoming. But it should care about the quality. Substandard private clinics do a disservice to the reputation of all the clinics. Some operate even without registration. Some of the private medical colleges cannot even hold practical classes as they have no hospitals.
Due enforcement of the regulation alone can ensure the standard of the service. Lowering the taxes on medical equipment imports and other charges would encourage investment. The society awaits steps for the needed improvement.
The growing private sector medical service providers are cattering to health needs of a large number of people. The private sector has made a place for itself in the business. The ground realities would support its further growth.
The private sector is running pathological testing centres, clinics and heart treatment facilities of international standard. The quality treatment offered and the medical tests have improved. It now costs less to get the services. An extra advantage is many patients opt for getting the service at home, instead of going abroad for it. It suits the middle and upper middle classes. It also opened up a new avenue for investment. But, the facilities for kidney dialysis, kidney transplantation and cancer treatment is far from adequate.
Thousands of kidney patients need dialysis. But the needed investment in more dialysis centres is not forthcoming. Kidney transplantation, orthopedic and cancer treatment also call for massive investment.
The private sector needs to be dynamic and more forthcoming. But it should care about the quality. Substandard private clinics do a disservice to the reputation of all the clinics. Some operate even without registration. Some of the private medical colleges cannot even hold practical classes as they have no hospitals.
Due enforcement of the regulation alone can ensure the standard of the service. Lowering the taxes on medical equipment imports and other charges would encourage investment. The society awaits steps for the needed improvement.