Dr Salman Kazmi told the court that private hospitals were charging fees of Rs 150,000 from COVID-19 patients for each day spent in the hospital. Subsequently, the court sought a report from a commission over heavy fees charged by the private hospitals and adjourned further hearings till December 11. Social media was in an uproar about this issue recently, after singer Fakhre Alam came forward with the story of a relative who was charged Rs1.7 million for 10 days of treatment at the Agha Khan Hospital in Karachi.
What a shame – Agha Khan hospital minting money in these extraordinary difficult conditions & then they cry when govt takes action. Same is happening in Isb.
Govts need to monitor all private hospitals of the country. @ImranKhanPTI @BBhuttoZardari @murtazawahab1 @zfrmrza pic.twitter.com/jAwHuVzR86— Shiffa Z. Yousafzai (@Shiffa_ZY) June 12, 2020
The petitioner, an organization called Judicial Activism Panel had submitted that the present coronavirus situation was out of control as cases of the coronavirus had increased in the country. Expressing concern over the current COVID-19 situation, it petitioned the court to order the provincial government to implement the Punjab Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Ordinance, 2020 in letter and spirit for the constitutional rights of the citizens.