NEW DELHI: Highlighting various ills afflicting the healthcare system in country, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana has said that the profit-driven approach of private hospitals in the country has inflicted a serious dent on healthcare of poor who preferred to suppress their treatment needs as well as well-being owing to inflated cost of treatment.
As the practice of running hospitals like companies is pursued vigorously there has been growing distrust among the common citizens towards doctors and hospitals and “hefty fees, chaotic experiences, and sub-par service has marred the relationship between doctors and the general public”, said CJI.
Speaking at the inaugural National Academy of Medical Sciences’ (NAMS, Delhi) public oration on ‘Law and Medicine, CJI while emphasized on the needs to check commercialization of hospitals said “Uncontrolled corporatization of hospitals is a major casualty on the country’s healthcare system and bringing in a legislation is need of jour to save people from falling prey to fraudulent practices in the name of treatment”.
Stating that he would speak about certain aspects of the medical education system in the country after his retirement, CJI said “One trend that needs discussion is the growing and unchecked corporatization of our healthcare system. Private hospitals are being opened at an exponential rate. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but there is a glaring need for balance. We are seeing hospitals being run like companies, where profit making is more important than service to society”.
Due to this, hospitals and doctors alike are desensitised towards the plight of patients. They are just numbers for them. This trend has also spread monopoly and is deepening the inequities in access to health care,” CJI said.