Even patients admitted in free beds will now have to pay for all diagnostic tests, even blood and urine tests, X-ray, ultrasonography and ECG that were earlier performed free of charges.

Many said poor patients will face great difficulties as nothing would be free at hospitals from now. The government hospitals have 60 per cent free beds that provided the patients with most tests free of cost.

The circular, dated October 18, for the increased charges was allegedly prepared hurriedly at the 11th hour of the BNP government's tenure but was not sent to the hospitals in time, sources said.

Service charges at hospitals were similarly increased in September 2005 which was later cancelled.

Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, health minister of the immediate past BNP-led four-party alliance government, said the previous circular was a little faulty as the service charge of every item was increased at that time.

"But this time the service charge has not increased on any item--only the user fee rates have been re-fixed while new fees have been fixed on new instruments and facilities such as CT scan, MRI, air-conditioned cabin and other similar items," Mosharraf said.

Health Secretary KM Zafarullah told The Daily Star yesterday, "The orders were circulated 15-20 days ago. But the hospitals delayed declaring it."

However, the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) authorities said they received the circular on Tuesday and they launched the new charges yesterday without any prior notice.

Other government hospitals including Mitford Hospital are yet to receive the copy of the circular.

"We have heard about the newly adopted fees, but we have not yet received its copy," said Dr Mohammad Mahmud Hossain, director of Mitford Hospital.

The DMCH authorities introduced the new charges in several units yesterday while the other units are either yet to receive the copy of the circular or could not understand it clearly.

Employees at the Pathology Department of DMCH said they will introduce the new charges from today. Most pathological tests were free for the outdoor and free-bed patients earlier.

INCREASED CHARGES
The cost of X-ray imaging for the outdoor and free-bed patients has been increased to Tk 70 for big films and Tk 55 for small ones. The facility was free earlier. The facility will cost the paying bed patients Tk 55 and Tk 45.

Fifteen patients who went for emergency X-ray during 12:00-4:00pm yesterday had to count money for the first time as the service was free earlier.

Rahazuddin, 80, admitted in ward No. 22 yesterday, found it difficult to manage Tk 180 for three X-ray imaging of chest and throat.

Ultrasonography, which was free for the free-bed patients, will now cost Tk 110 and Tk 220.

The cost of both single-channel and three-channel ECG tests has been increased to Tk 80 from Tk 66 and Tk 76.

The charge for an air-conditioned cabin, which was Tk 615 per day, has increased to Tk 800.

The price of ticket for first aid, which would cost Tk 5 earlier, has increased to Tk 5.50, while the price of admission form has increased to Tk 11 from Tk 5.50.