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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the central government on September 17, coinciding with World Patient Safety Day, regarding the pricing of medical consumables in hospitals. Kharge alleged that patients are facing excessive financial burdens due to high markups on essential medical supplies.
Citing a report from the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Kharge claimed that some hospitals have applied markups of up to 2,841 percent on basic medical consumables, such as intravenous fluids. He characterized these pricing practices as a systemic issue and accused the Union government of failing to take sufficient action to regulate these costs.
In his statement, Kharge noted that India’s medical inflation rate has reached 14 percent. He also referenced a survey, asserting that 68 percent of respondents reported excessive treatment costs, 56 percent cited high ICU or room charges, and 51 percent identified inflated prices for medicines and consumables.
Kharge linked these healthcare costs to broader economic concerns, including rising food, retail, and wholesale inflation, arguing that these factors are placing significant financial strain on the public. He called for greater government intervention to address what he described as a lack of oversight in the healthcare sector.
World Patient Safety Day is observed annually on September 17 to promote global solidarity and action toward improving patient safety. The observance was established by the World Health Organization following the adoption of resolution WHA 72.6, which designated patient safety as a global health priority.
Article source: www.indiagazette.com | Image credit: www.indiagazette.com
