Gill rejects report of ending free medical tests at govt hospitals

LAHORE: The spokesperson to the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Gill rejected the report of ending facility of free medical examination tests at the government hospitals, ARY News reported.

In his tweets, Shahbaz Gill said that the government has not ended the free medical tests’ facility as it will be remained available at hospitals’ emergency departments. He added that the authorities had only made a hike for in-door tests in hospitals.

پنجاب کے تمام سرکاری ہسپتالوں کی ایمرجنسی میں مریضوں کے ٹیسٹ بالکل مفت کیے جا رہے ہیں. مستحق افراد کے لیے علاج کی مفت سہولیات ختم نہیں کی گئی. ان ڈور میں آنے والے ایسے افراد جو مستحق نہیں ہے انکے لیے ٹیسٹوں کی قیمت میں معمولی اضافہ کیا گیا ہے. pic.twitter.com/wsUt6O1RN5

— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) August 18, 2019

Gill further detailed that the poor and needy people could avail the facility after submission of the affidavit, however, the same service could not be given to rich people. The prices of medical tests at the government hospitals are still very low as compare to the private laboratories.

ان ڈور میں غریب اورمستحق افراد بیان خلفی جمع کروا کے مفت سہولت سے مستفید ہو سکتے ہیں
غریب اور امیر دونوں کو ان ڈور میں مفت سہولت فراہم نہیں کی جاسکتی. پرائیویٹ لیب کی نسبت سرکاری ہسپتالوں میں ٹیسٹ کی قیمت انتہائی کم ہے. https://t.co/4oRCu5jJZw pic.twitter.com/QbwMBGxDa3

— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) August 18, 2019

Earlier on Saturday, it emerged that the fees of medical tests in government-owned hospitals increased up to 200 per cent after the formal approval of the Punjab authorities.

The provincial government has decided to hike fees of medical examination tests besides setting up Rs50 fee slip for the people arriving at dental out-patient department (OPD), whereas, the facility of free medical tests will be given to patients in emergency conditions.

Following the latest decision, the new prices of CT scan test is Rs2500 from Rs1000, Rs200 for blood which was previously been charged up to Rs100, LFT rates will be Rs300 from Rs50, Rs100 from Rs60 for ECG, Rs150 from Rs50 for ultrasound, Rs900 from Rs200 for thyroid test.

Moreover, the parking fees will also be charged up to Rs20 for cars and Rs10 for motorbikes within the premises of the government hospitals across Punjab.