ARE HOSPITALS BECOMING GREEDY?

Even with low quality services, most hospitals have been known to mark up their prices. But how much is too much?

A report undertaken within Nairobi alone has concluded that most hospitals are raising their charges by as much as 1000 per cent! Of course you can’t think of an industry that can charge more than 1000 percent and remain in business.As the case of health sector, they are not worried since either way, we shall get sick and nobody will ask anyone to seek for medication as the pain will do the job.

Have you ever heard anyone bargain in hospital? Even the poorest person’s won't dare since the doc may under treat you or even allow you to die and in case you are surveying for the meanest persons, go to the hospital. Last year when I was visiting someone in the hospital, I saw  a very sick man who could not be attended to until he pays, while another one  was on daily nation newspaper  where he had  reportedly been imprisoned at K.N.H for many years due to unpaid bills.

Exorbitant charges

A week ago, I accidentally spilled my hydrogen peroxide (I normally keep H₂0₂ for first aid purposes). I went back to the pharmacy where I had bought the last batch from and I was shocked when I was told the 100ml bottle was 350sh yet I had bought the same batch at 65sh a week ago! I told the chemist I had 50sh only and he shyly asks me “ongeza mbao bwana” I gave him 70sh and took my package more confused than shocked. That is a whopping 400 percent overcharge!

It gets worse when you have a hurting tooth. For those who know, a tooth starts to hurt at night when you have nowhere to go to. The pain once crushed my head until I started to repent, asking God “what have I wronged you to deserve this?’’. When suffering such a pain, the first door you will knock at in the morning is at the dentist. That is what I did. After a warm introductory welcome by a very beautiful receptionist, I was already feeling at home, I explained how non-selective eating of things has caused a hole in my molar and consequently I couldn’t fall asleep with the hammering pain. “That needs refilling. It is only 15,000ksh and it is painless” she interrupted. With the mention of 15k, I found myself outside. In fact the pain was somehow gone; I don’t know how but something in my mind told me the headache is doing 50 press ups for nightfall and from that thinking, I was going for plan b when the same beauty tooth doc calls me by name, and gives me an address for an alternative private clinic. I went straight and was surprised that the same services was going at a cheaper price (ksh 2500 only!) and guess who treated me? The very same beautiful tooth doc from the referral hospital! I finally found out that these doctors give you a non-official huge figure to discourage you and then redirect you to another private hospital, their very own hospital. That is how business is ladies and gentlemen.

Redirecting the services

Have you gone to a public hospital and after treatment you are given a list of medicines to buy from pharmacy?, at times you are told that the supplies are finished and some “good” doctors even goes an extra mile of directing you to where you will buy from. By then you are too sick and your best concern is to get well, yet in the background someone has made a kill. Common antibiotics that are free in government hospitals and should cost roughly 2 shillings a tablet and a whole dose about 40 shillings will sell at 500 shillings (whole dose) or more in a pharmacy.

Pharmacy and poisons board

The pharmacy and poisons board only check on the quality control of the drugs and the persons dispensing. The pricing of pharmaceutical products and medical services might be a free for all game as this sector is treated like a church where nobody questions lest you get excommunicated.

Conclusion

The point is, if you have real money, invest in a pharmacy. But if you have money the size of Eurobond, invest in hospital. For the rest of those who are expecting end-month, enroll in NHIF or Medical Insurance otherwise, days are coming when you will call for harambee to remove tooth!

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