There are debates as to what extent the fact that Sri Lanka’s health sector is in a crisis has been accepted by all relevant stakeholders and experienced by the public first hand. On the one hand, there is a considerable lack of resources which has led to the decreased availability of medicines and health services, and on the other hand, brain drain among medical and health care professionals in the context of the economic downturn has emerged as another threat.
It is crucial to acknowledge that the health sector’s crisis is a challenge that goes beyond monetary or other resources, and reviving the health sector is also about protecting the public that seeks the sector’s services. However, certain challenges faced by service seekers are coming from within the health sector itself. There is a medicines and medical services mafia in the country, which is further inconveniencing the public. While recent media reports revealed several incidents of selling substandard medicines and selling medicines at higher prices, the latest news reveals that a black market has emerged in the laboratory sector as well. A total of 12 private hospitals and laboratories have been found to have overcharged patients for dengue and full blood count (FBC) tests, and following the relevant investigations by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), these institutions have been fined Rs. 9.4 million for charging patients prices above the amounts gazetted for the relevant tests.
These actions are admirable as they are a need of the hour, especially in a context where many service seekers find it difficult to obtain the necessary services from public hospitals and are gradually shifting to paid, affordable private sector service providers. However, the fact that this racket was exposed by the CAA and not by the authorities that have been specifically appointed to look into the private health sector, is concerning.That is because, although the said investigations by the CAA provided a good result, the health authorities, including the Health Minister and the Ministry as well as the Private Health Services Regulatory Council, are in a position to strengthen these efforts in many ways, and to take stricter and long term actions than those taken by the CAA.
The health authorities should make the CAA’s actions a starting point to strengthen the regulatory and monitoring mechanisms that are in place concerning the private health sector, including private laboratories, taking into account the prevailing situation in the health sector, and introduce the necessary mechanisms that do not exist. Among the other matters to which they should pay attention are increasing the fines for overcharging service seekers and violating the set prices, tightening the standards that apply to services, and checking the qualifications of those providing health and medical services. Private laboratories that are mushrooming around every private hospital claiming to provide most laboratory services, as well as private hospitals that require service seekers to pay exorbitant charges for even registering a patient, should come under the strict scrutiny of the health authorities. As per the CAA, measures are currently underway to impose a standardised price for various commonly used laboratory tests other than dengue and FBC tests, although no such raids are being conducted in this regard at present, and therefore, the Government should support these efforts as well.
It is evident that the crisis that has befallen the health sector cannot be resolved anytime soon. It is a process that takes a considerable amount of planning, time, resources and also the willingness of the health authorities and the Government to make correct decisions. Therefore, until Sri Lanka is truly ready to revive the health sector, the available resources and actors have a responsibility to do their best without inconveniencing service seekers. That is now more important than before, as health concerns, including the reemergence of Covid-19, are on the rise.
In addition, it is crucial that service seekers also take their role and power in this regard seriously. They should not hesitate to take legal action or at least apprise the authorities of the irregularities in the private health sector. Such active participation would immensely support the authorities.