Noted businessman and social worker of State Anup Sonthalia has written to the Prime Minister to remove some common but serious problems faced by patients at Government and private hospitals. In his letter sent to PM Narendra Modi and copies sent to Union Health Minister, Chief Minister of the State, Health Minister, Union Health Secretary and Principal Secretary, Health, Jharkhand, Sonthalia has stated that the PM has created history by providing free health care for the needy Indians.

However, he said that he has seen the actual situation in both private and government hospitals in the last 15 years and he requested the PM to make it compulsory for hospital management to provide a summary of treatment to the admitted patients on a daily basis. “The hospitals furnish the medical bills punctually on daily basis, but never provide the summary of treatment on a daily basis. This will help the attendants in knowing what exactly the disease is and what treatment is being given by the hospital. This would end the confusion between the hospital and the patients or their attendants. This will also ensure the benevolent welfare scheme is not misused,” he satated.

“Majority of hospitals, both government and private, take money in advance from patients for MRI, CT scan, ultrasonography, blood  tests etc, but never give the reports to the patients till they are discharged. This prevents the patients’ attendants from consulting other doctors, friends or relatives. In many cases, not providing the reports by the hospital management results in quarrels and fights between them and the attendants. I request you to make it mandatory for hospitals to immediately provide a copy of the reports to the patients. The hospitals can keep the original for their treatment, but should give a copy to the patients,” said he.

Talking about government health facilities Sonthalia has requested the PM to ensure the availability of doctors in government hospitals for minimum eight hours. “Please allow them private practice after their duty hours. Illness does not see the timing so senior doctors should also be on duty 24 hours a day, on rotation basis. The salary of government doctors should be attractive enough compared to private hospitals,” he said.

Sonthalia has also urged the PM to give special incentives to doctors for rural posting. Many cases of patients would be solved in villages if doctors get posted there and they actually work there. Many serious rural patients die on way to hospitals in the city,” he stated.