Labaid, Popular, Ibn Sina fined for profiteering over dengue tests

The government has penalised the Labaid Specialized Hospital, Popular Diagnostic Centre, and Ibn Sina Hospital for charging extra fees for dengue tests.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 30 July 2019, 07:41 PM
Updated : 30 July 2019, 08:08 PM

The Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection has fined Labaid and Popular Tk 50,000 each and Ibn Sina Tk 40,000.

The directorate slapped the fines on Popular after a hearing on complaints about extra fees on Monday and Labaid and Ibn Sina on Tuesday.

Its Deputy Director Monjur Mohammad Shahriar held the hearings, Assistant Director Md Masum Arefin 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.

Popular was found to be charging Tk 1,200 for the tests during a drive on Monday even after the government fixed the maximum fees, according to Masum.

On Tuesday, the directorate summoned the Green Life Hospital, Central Hospital and Lab Science authorities to explain why they were charging extra for instruments used for the tests.

Labaid Assistant General Manager Saifur Rahman Lenin and Popular’s Manager Achintya Kumar Nag told bdnews24.com that they were following the government set fees for dengue tests, but yet to update their software leading to the extra fees showing up in bills.

Meanwhile, a patient has sued Ibn Sina Diagnostic and Imaging Centre Consultant Md Moniruzzaman, its managing director, Ibn Sina Group chairman and Ibn Sina Hospital chairman over “wrong” results of a test for dengue patients.

The plaintiff, Dhaka Judges’ Court lawyer Md Ramzan Ali alias Rana Sarder, alleged Ibn Sina found in the test on July 25 that the platelet count in his blood was 784,000 per cubic millimetre, which is much higher than the expected level.

The following day, the Bangladesh Medical College Hospital conducted the same test on his blood sample but found the platelet count at the expected level of 200,000 per cmm, according to the case dossier.

The patient would have suffered physically, mentally and financially, or even death had he followed the Ibn Sina report for treatment, Ramzan said.   

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Didar Hossain ordered Dhanmondi Police Station to investigate the allegation after recording the case on Tuesday.