Telangana: Hospitals operate to cure end-stage cancer

Hyderabad: Six patients with end stage cancer, who were operated under the Aarogyasri Health Care Scheme by private hospitals in the city, died within three to six months.

A complaint regarding these cases has been filed with the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust as such cases are often not treated aggressively.

Mr Mujtaba Askari, who provides medical aid at government hospitals, has filed the complaint with the Trust.

He said, “All six cases were of patients suffering from end-stage brain tumor but still they were operated under Aarogyasri by the private hospitals. Why? Isn’t there an independent validation of who requires surgery and who does not? Presently, a lot of government money is being pumped into the health scheme and the benefit must reach those who deserve.”

In three of these cases, the families had no money for palliative care and immediately after the operation, the patients were completely bed-ridden.

A senior government doctor said, “There is a very strong need to revamp the complete process of Aarogyasri and work on the loopholes. Validation is an important point as apart from the treating doctor and the hospital, there must be an independent body within Aarogyasri to verify whether the patient really requires the surgery. If the patient really required surgery, then why is the outcome so poor? Bad or botched outcomes must also be questioned which will then make the treating doctor and the hospital careful and alert.”

While the Aarogyasri Health Care department has a vigilance unit, it takes up cases only when there is a hue and cry raised by patients.

A senior Aarogyasri officer said, “There is too much pressure to ensure that the beneficiaries are happy. For that reason, the vigilance is mostly directed towards satisfaction of the beneficiary. In this, the loopholes of the procedures and surgeries are exploited as it is a very subjective matter. If the protocols are rightly followed, then too many questions are not asked. ”

In maximum cancer cases, people come with hope for a cure.

Dr Sairam of the MNJ Cancer Hospital explained, “The relatives pressurise a lot that treatment must be done. As they are not paying, they are not worried. But after the treatment, the expenses for medicines and palliative care is what makes them realise that they have taken a wrong decision. But by then it is too late.”

While the patients’ relatives pressurise, there are also agents who lure them to hospitals to avail the benefits of free surgery.

A senior doctor said, “The surgeries cost between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh and once it is cleared it’s sure money for the hospital. It has unfortunately also become easy money for some, which is giving a bad name to the scheme.”

The recent uproar by private hospitals that Rs 200 crore was pending with the TS government has triggered a round of debates in the medical fraternity on the various reasons of such huge debts.