Question : COST OF SURGERIES

(a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that high cost of surgery for heart, kidney patients, is not within the reach of common man;

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to reduce the cost of these operations;

(c) whether the Government is also aware of the fact that due to stiff competition amongst private hospitals the patients undergoing heart/kidney operations are made to take the decision of surgery without giving a chance for second opinion thus leading to unethical medical practices; and

(d) if so, the steps taken by the Government to curb these practices?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS)

(a)to(d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 138 FOR 14TH JULY, 2004

Health being a State subject, it is for the State Governments to provide treatment facilities for heart/kidney ailments including surgical interventions. The State Governments are providing financial assistances for treatment of poor patients suffering from major illness such as cardiac problems and renal disorders which require treatment in a super-speciality hospital and involve heavy expenditure through their respective State Illness Assistance Funds. The Central Government supplements the State Government in the form of Grant in Aid to the State Illness Fund. In Central Government hospitals, including AIIMS, New Delhi and PGIMER, Chandigarh, poor patients are treated free of cost or at subsidized rates. Financial assistance is also provided to persons below poverty line for this treatment under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi for which the fund is placed at the disposal of Medical Superintendents of the hospitals concerned.

In case of unethical medical practice by any doctor, the Medical Council of India or the State Medical Councils are empowered to award such punishment, as deemed necessary, including even removal of the name of any registered practitioner from the Register altogether or for a specified period as per the provisions of Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.