Sindh government-run Chamra Hospital in Karachi starts charging patients

KARACHI: Patients visiting the Sindh government-run Sindh Institute of Skin Diseases, commonly known as Chamra Hospital, in Karachi are now being charged for outpatient services, diagnostic tests and medical procedures, adding new costs for people who rely on the public facility for specialised and affordable skin care.

The Sindh Institute of Skin Diseases is the only specialised government facility for skin diseases in Sindh. It serves patients from Karachi and other parts of the province as well as Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan.

Hospital officials estimate that 2,500 to 3,000 patients visit the facility every day, making the introduction of fees significant for thousands of people who depend on the hospital for dermatological care.

Patients face fees for OPD, diagnostic services

According to patients and hospital sources, the administration recently began charging for services that had previously been provided free of cost. The change was reportedly introduced without a public announcement explaining the new fee structure.

Patients are now required to pay Rs30 for an outpatient department (OPD) slip, while additional charges apply to diagnostic tests prescribed by doctors.

The reported fees include Rs50 for a complete blood count (CBC), Rs50 for an SGPT test, Rs100 each for hepatitis B and hepatitis C tests, and Rs50 for a random blood sugar test.

A skin or scalp test reportedly costs Rs500, while other blood investigations carry separate charges.

For patients requiring multiple investigations or procedures, the total cost can become considerably higher.

Procedures carry additional charges

According to the report, patients are being charged between Rs250 and Rs2,500 for various procedures performed in the hospital's operating theatre.

A separate Rs100 fee is reportedly being collected for wart removal in the hospital's cautery section.

Patients said the charges could create an additional burden for low-income families who choose a government facility because private healthcare is beyond their financial means.

The change has also raised questions about the hospital's previous free-treatment arrangements and the policy under which the new fees have been introduced.

Patients raise concerns over free healthcare claims

Some patients have criticised the collection of fees, arguing that it conflicts with public claims by Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the Sindh government regarding the provision of free healthcare to poor people in the province.

They have appealed to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to intervene and examine the matter.

Patients also pointed to the hospital's wide catchment area, saying people travel from across Sindh and neighbouring Balochistan to receive specialised dermatological care there.

They said charges for outpatient services, investigations and procedures could further strain families already struggling with healthcare expenses.

Hospital says fees have Health Department approval

The hospital administration, however, has given a different position on the introduction of the charges.

A hospital representative told media that the fees were being collected with permission from the Sindh Health Department.

The position raises questions about the official policy governing the new fee structure, including the services covered, the applicable rates and whether exemptions or concessions are available for patients unable to afford the charges.

Efforts to obtain a detailed response from Sindh Institute of Skin Diseases Director Dr Aneela Sadaf were unsuccessful.

Hospital staff said Dr Sadaf does not speak to the media and had authorised skin specialist Dr Saqib Alam to respond to media inquiries.

Dr Sadaf later responded through WhatsApp and referred the media to Ali Shah, identified as the hospital's media coordinator. Shah did not provide a clear response when contacted about the collection of fees, according to the report.

With thousands of patients visiting the Sindh Institute of Skin Diseases each day, the new charges have put the focus on the official approval, scope and implementation of the fee structure.

For people who depend ona Chamra Hospital for specialised public-sector dermatological care, clarification over the new charges and any available concessions could determine the financial impact of the policy on access to treatment.

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