Private clinics, laboratories: Health dept, others directed to fix uniform rates within a month

PESAHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday directed the Health Department, Healthcare Commission and other authorities to implement uniform rates for medical consultations and laboratory tests at private clinics and hospitals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within one month.

Hearing the case, a two-member bench comprising Justice Fazal Subhan and Justice Farah Jamshed also instructed the relevant authorities to ensure compliance with the court’s decision and submit a report to the high court accordingly.

Advocate Mahwish Mohibullah Kakakhel, representing petitioner Saif Mohibullah, informed the court that private doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa currently charge unregulated fees for medical consultations and patients were being exploited by private laboratories that imposed high charges for diagnostic tests.

She reminded the court that the PHC had already ruled in 2019 and 2023 that uniform rates should be established for both government and private laboratory tests, and that strict action should be taken against laboratories charging excessive fees.

However, she pleaded the government and Healthcare Commission had failed to implement these directives or take action against the violators despite the passage of several years.She maintained that the KP Healthcare Commission had previously claimed that it lacked legal authority under Section 6 of the relevant Act to regulate rates. However, in 2022, a draft bill was prepared to grant the commission the authority to regulate hospital, laboratory, and clinic fees, but the bill was still pending.

After arguments, the court directed the Health Department and Healthcare Commission to fix uniform rates for private clinics and laboratories within a month, enforce regulations, and take action against violators. The authorities were also instructed to submit a compliance report to the high court.