The doctors refer patients to the diagnostic centres for unnecessary tests, allegedly for 'commission' from them.

There are eight registered and 17 unregistered diagnostic centres in Magura town. Most of these centres have 'arrangements' with doctors to refer patients in exchange of benefits.

The diagnostic centres charge from patients ten to twenty times the actual cost of tests and share the huge profit with doctors. This was gathered from number of employees working at different diagnostic centres who talked to this correspondent on condition of anonymity.

An investigation by this correspondent revealed that doctors get 30 to 45 percent 'commission' from the profit earned by diagnostic labs.

Doctors also get loans, costly gifts such as computer, refrigerator, cell phone and fashionable items from owners of the centres.

Many of the centres have set up doctors' chambers for consultation and this practice is growing.

Everyday, hundreds of patients crowd chambers of government doctors at the diagnostic centres. These doctors are employed at the Sadar Hospital and at upazila health complexes. Some centres have set up air-conditioned chambers for doctors to attract patients. The owners however claim that the arrangements are for benefit of patients.

An employee at a diagnostic centre preferring anonymity said 'blood sugar' test involves less than Tk 6 but Tk 100 is charged from patients while its rate at Magura Sadar hospital is Tk 25 only. A routine urine test costs less than Tk 8, but Tk 50 to 60 is realised.

Another employee said, 'Cost of reagents for blood group test is less than Tk 6 but diagnostic centres charge Tk 130 to 150 for a test. Such a test costs only Tk 33 at Magura Sadar Hospital'.

The centres have different rates for similar tests in the absence of rules by the authorities concerned, they claimed.

"We have no fixed rates", admitted an owner of a diagnostic centre. "These rates are fixed on the basis of mutual understanding among owners".

About the unusual profit, owner of another diagnostic centre admitted that reagents for X-ray films is not expensive. But establishment cost, electricity charge, staff salary and many other things raise the rates, he pleaded.

Managing Director of a diagnostic centre said, "We are in a competitive market. If tests are costlier at one centre, clients would naturally go to another centre. So it is not true that diagnostic centres are charging unusually high rates.

MA Bari, owner of Unique Diagnostic Centre, however claimed, "We do not pay commission to any doctor, we just run our business on our goodwill only."

Talking to this correspondent, some patients said, they are fully aware of the high profit earned by diagnostic centres but are undone.

"I went to a doctor for treatment of stomach pain. He asked me to get six different tests done. I knew all the tests were not necessary but could I protest the doctor's prescription?', the patient said.

All these are happening as the authorities are silent and they have no control over diagnostic centres.

When contacted, Magura Civil Surgeon Fariduddin Ahmed admitted unusual high rates at diagnostic centres. They should follow the rates at government hospital, he said.