It is heartening news that the Ministry of Health is planning to set a ceiling for the cost of medical services at private establishments. As expected, the plan has been met with displeasure and objections by owners of private hospitals and clinics on the grounds that prices for medical services are usually governed by the quality rather than by other considerations.
I don’t want to be a judge, defending this or that side because the issue is a complicated one with each side having its own justifications. I find myself, however, leaning toward the ministry’s position. I think it is time the prices charged by private hospitals were reviewed and that clear regulations governing them be formulated. Any steps in this direction have to be based on thorough studies and plans that take into consideration all the relevant elements. There is no room here for any speculations or half-baked studies. Needless to say, many private medical institutions in the country have crossed all lines when it comes to pricing their services. Providing medical services to people is a business different from any other activity and must thus never be completely commercial. Unfortunately, there are those whose main concern is to make money at the expense of suffering and sickness.
I do not expect hospitals to focus only on the human side and neglect all other considerations. What I would like to stress is that the human element should not be neglected while seeking a reasonable margin of profit. To arrive at a solution satisfactory to both the service provider and the patient, we need the intervention of the state.
The role of the state here should be to lay down necessary rules and regulations. Health is the most precious thing for all of us, and must never become a commercial commodity.
