KP Assembly proceedings: Lawmakers want formula to determine fee of specialist doctors

PESHAWAR: The treasury and opposition in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday agreed that there should be a proper mechanism and formula to determine the fee of doctors running private clinics in the province.

Shagufta Malik of Awami National Party (ANP) through a question raised the issue, saying the government had no mechanism to determine the fee of doctors of private clinics and doctors were free to charge a patient on his/her own sweet will.

She said KP being a poor province was unable to provide medical treatment facilities at public sector hospitals and patients were compelled to visit private clinics but there was no mechanism to determine the fee of a specialist doctor.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Sardar Muhammad Yousaf while supporting the point said the government should have a fee structure for doctors as they were charging exorbitant fee at clinics and hospitals.

Humera Khatoon of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) said there should be government checks on private hospitals and clinics. She said biometric attendance should also be ensured as most of the time doctors in government hospitals referred patients to their private clinics even during duty hours.

In his reply, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Kamran Bangash admitted there was no mechanism in the province to determine the fee of doctors and said the treasury benches agreed with the mover to send the matter to the committee concerned.

However, he clarified it was not illegal as doctors were allowed by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Commission (PMDC) code of ethics and healthcare commission rules. He said there should be a proper mechanism and formula for fixing the fee of different categories of doctors. He said biometric attendance was applicable in nine major hospitals of the province and it would be extended to DHQ hospitals as well.

Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani referred the question to the standing committee on health. Earlier, Liaq Muhammad Khan of the ruling PTI on a point of order raised the issue of bogus recruitment in Youth Affairs Department in Torghar district, which was referred to the committee concerned.

The chair directed the ministers and a member from the opposition to hold negotiations with the contract doctors who were protesting outside the assembly building. The House unanimously adopted the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Employees Social Security Bill, 2021 with some amendments by the opposition members and the KP Sentencing Bill, 2021 was also passed unanimously before the session was adjourned till Friday.