Private healthcare in a sorry state

Private healthcare was introduced partly to take the pressure off public hospitals struggling with a huge number of patients and stem the flow of those going abroad for treatment, depriving the country of sizable revenue. It was seen as a solution to our healthcare crisis, with its modern technology and the expertise that it had brought along. But as a new survey by the Transparency International Bangladesh shows, both the purposes are being defeated. The survey paints a disturbing picture of the private-sector healthcare, with the hospitals and diagnostic centres having turned into profit-driven enterprises devoid of the basic principles that govern healthcare. Low-quality services, excessive fees, and lack of efficient doctors and nurses are to blame for this situation. But most importantly, it is our weak regulatory mechanism that allowed this situation to persist. 

The TIB report details how these organisations are being run through what it called a "commission-based marketing mechanism," a win-win strategy that benefits the physicians, owners of hospitals and diagnostic centres, the drug stores, middlemen, and practically everyone involved in the process—except those who matter most, the patients. Evidently, the sector is failing to provide a better alternative to public healthcare. The fact that Bangladeshis are still going abroad for treatment also says something about our healthcare. The government may learn from the best practices in neighbouring countries which still draw a large number of our patients.

The government should also strengthen regulation in the private healthcare and curb the illegal practices that are taking place. There are around 15,698 private facilities, 63.3 percent of households are seeking private healthcare, and around 60.3 percent of the country's doctors are involved here. This huge number alone makes a strong case for greater supervision so that the patients can have quality services for fair prices.