KARACHI:Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is planning to introduce new service charges in all KMC-run hospitals to generate more revenue to overcome current financial crisis, sources in KMC told PPI on Sunday.
They said a seven-member committee constituted by Medical and Health Services Department (MandHSD) KMC has presented its recommendations to Mayor Karachi and others high-ups for their approval from City Council.
The committee is led by Executive Director Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD) Dr Asad Ullah Hussaini and others members are Chairperson Medical Committee, KMC, Naheed Fatima, Ex-Director Medical Services, KMC Nadeem Asif, Medical Superintendent Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Dr Nadeem Rajput, Account Officer (RandR) Finance and Accounts Department, KMC Waqar Ahmed Kohatti, Additional Director, Internal Audit Department Abdul Aziz and AAO (MandHS) KMC Aijaz Muhammad.
The committee members have reviewed the rates of services provided by the KMC hospitals and also compared rate lists with others public and private sector hospitals. The aim of constitution of committee is to enhance the revenue of hospitals to overcome financial burden on KMC health facilities.
The committee members proposed 50 to 100 per cent increase in services charges in all KMC-run health facilities to generate revenue. They have recommended increasing and implementing new medical charges in order to come out current financial crises.
They have proposed increase in OPD fees, charges for surgery, laboratory tests, private rooms and other fees of major healthcare centers including Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases Hospital, Sobhraj Maternity Hospital, Spencer Eye Hospital, Rafiqui Shaheed Hospital and others hospitals.
The sources said that cost of various medical equipment, meals, medicines and surgical have increased in last five years; therefore, recommendations have been moved to the competent authority concerned for approval.
Chairman of Committee Dr Asad Ullah Hussaini, while talking to PPI, said there was no specific allocation of funds from government side to repairing and maintenance of equipment, surgical disposals and others medical items; therefore, new recommendations have been sent to MandHSD KMC for approval. He said committee members have already briefly reviewed lists of services charges of other public and private hospitals.