Four hospitals fined for charging extra fees for dengue tests

The Islami Bank Specialised Hospital, Green Life Hospital, Central Hospital and Dhanmondi Clinic in Dhaka have been fined for charging patients more fees than government-set rates for dengue tests.

A RAB mobile court fined Islami Bank hospital at Paltan Tk 300,000 in a drive on Wednesday.

RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam said Islami Bank Hospital was fined also for having expired machinery and chemicals at its operation theatre.

An official at the hospital told bdnews24.com to contact the official in charge, Mozammel Haque, for comments.

Mozammel could not be reached as no official agreed to give his contact number. Two other officials at the hospital said they did not know about the fines.

The Directorate of National Consumers’ Rights Protection fined Green Life, Central Hospital and Dhanmondi Clinic Tk 40,000 each after hearings on complaints, its Deputy Director Mojur Mohammad Shahriar said.

The directorate on Tuesday fined Labaid Specialized Hospital, Popular Diagnostic Centre, and Ibn Sina Hospital for the same reason and summoned the three others for the hearings.

The consumer rights directorate also fined Bandhon Clinic and Al Arafah Hospital Tk 40,000 each for charging extra for dengue tests, its official Abdul Jabbar Mandal told bdnews24.com.

The directorate also held a meeting with the leaders of Bangladesh Chemist and Druggist Association and warned them against manipulating the market by taking advantage of dengue outbreak.

Three pharmacies in the Mitford Hospital area were fined Tk 5,000 each for illegally selling foreign drugs, Jabbar said.

The government fixed charges of dengue tests at a maximum of Tk 500 to drive down the costs of healthcare on Sunday amid a massive outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease.

The private hospitals were charging at least Tk 1,000 for these tests.