The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday ordered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Healthcare Commission (KPHCC) to fix and bring uniformity in fees of all laboratories, clinics and hospitals.
A division bench of the Peshawar High Court headed by Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth heard a contempt petition against the provincial health department for not keeping uniformity in fees of different tests in laboratories, clinics and hospitals in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The petition was moved by Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel through his counsel. The petition has been filed against the CEO of KP healthcare commission, secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Director-General of Health, asking the court to punish them severely.
The petition said that up to Rs9,600 is being charged for COVID-19 tests even though the kits have been donated to Pakistan as a relief package. The petition said that some laboratories and hospitals are established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a trust, and the government has given them the properties and grants to establish hospitals, but they, instead of working for the benefit of the people, have turned into money making institutes.
It furthermore said that private laboratories/hospitals have been given exemptions from taxes to import health machinery but they instead of serving the taxpayers are used for private benefits. It has been added that some of these equipment are donated by NGOs or foreign donors to work for humanity. It is also explained in the petition that decision of this honourable court is not being complied with.