Audit urges fair pricing, stricter rules for private hospitals

22 October 2025 12:45 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 18 Bookmark

A A A

Join our WhatsApp Channel

Colombo,Oct.22 (Daily Mirror) - An audit report has called for an urgent overhaul of Sri Lanka’s private healthcare system recommending a fair and affordable charge structure and the grading of all private medical institutions across the country.

According to the report, a formal methodology should be developed to set, monitor, and evaluate standards for all registered private hospitals and clinics. It has also stressed the need to ensure minimum qualifications for staff recruitment, maintain proper training standards, and guarantee quality patient care.

The audit further suggests that authorities should legalize and enforce these standards, and make sure that national recruitment criteria are followed when hiring healthcare professionals.

In addition, it has proposed setting up a formal system to handle public complaints against private hospitals, including an online platform to submit grievances and ensure that people receive timely redress.

A senior Health Ministry official told Daily Mirror that while the Minister has given special attention to tightening monitoring of private health institutions, the new system has not yet been implemented.

Comments - 18

Upulpb Wednesday, 22 October 2025 12:59 PM

Lab report charges by Private hospitals should be looked in to

1 25

Periyalingam Thursday, 23 October 2025 02:42 AM

Lab reports accuracy and quality should be tested. They give fake lab reports without testing. Report normal patient expired.

0 0

dinesh Wednesday, 22 October 2025 01:29 PM

LONG OVER DUE!! no government has been able to control these blood suckers. When they hear the word "insurance" they go crazy.

1 27

Indika Wednesday, 22 October 2025 01:29 PM

Long overdue.

1 18

Lion Wednesday, 22 October 2025 01:31 PM

Private hospitals fleece patients until they become beggars, their fees for medical tests and charges for doctors and rooms are exorbitant.There is an adage that if some one want to destroy himself he must get married , now it should be said the easiest way to die is get admitted to a private hospital.

0 20

Lokka Wednesday, 22 October 2025 01:34 PM

Government should control the prices

2 44

Mahinda Wednesday, 22 October 2025 01:48 PM

High time, this is long overdue... Private Hospitals are fleecing the public....

1 28

ajith Wednesday, 22 October 2025 01:56 PM

True. Sri Lanka Doctors (specialists) put charges for every visit to patient. whereas the Foreign hospitals it is only a package.

1 25

KP Wednesday, 22 October 2025 02:30 PM

And what is the cost of the package? Ten times more than in Sri Lanka?

13 4

Sampath Paranavitane Wednesday, 22 October 2025 02:20 PM

Excellent. The government must tighten controls and have very transparent and fair prices. Previous governments turned a blind eye to the highway robbery of patients and were only interested in power and politics and helped some hospital owners to become mega super super rich that enabled them to own yachts in Sydney harbour and houses in Europe and some had blonde girl friends. The public had to borrow and pay hospital bills. Private hospitals who charge reasonable prices must be encouraged. There should be proper costing, reasonable profit margin and reasonable depreciation charges on medical equipment by amortising cost over a fair period and not 4 years.

1 14

KP Wednesday, 22 October 2025 02:33 PM

Whatever said and done, market forces based on supply and demand will decide the prices. If the government tries to arbitrarily intervene, either the standards will go down, or certain services will not be offered.

4 7

Ram P Wednesday, 22 October 2025 02:35 PM

This has been a long overdue. Better late than never so formulate Rules on fair pricing for all private hospitals and the rules must include the sale of drugs too

0 7

Mahesh Wednesday, 22 October 2025 02:44 PM

The government should looked into government hospitals in private wards facilities as well. The Doctors now a days wanted to earn more money and perform unnecessary operations and charges the patient. There is no proper audit on this sector

1 6

wattala pvt Wednesday, 22 October 2025 02:58 PM

Check whether there are qualified experienced nurses to handle small kids

0 4

DAR Wednesday, 22 October 2025 03:40 PM

Problem is the government here. Inability to regulate the sector for greater benefit of our people. Whether its public or private Hospital or private practice, Doctors, Pharmacies and all registered health providers only allowed to bill patients using Charge codes which control by the government. And these health service providers ideally bill their patients through 2 unified systems maintained by government authority - one for medical services and one for pharmaceuticals. Each Charge code should have an item number, clear definition of service/procedure/medicine and price. There shouldn’t be any space to operate outside this system.

1 3

Disgusted citizen Wednesday, 22 October 2025 05:01 PM

The first thing when getting admitted to private hospitals in colombo, the first thing they ask you if it is insurance covered,when the final bill comes to your hand inflated charges for drugs medical equipment and room charges drain citizens mental status, often pay the difference in cash,All citizens should be granted insurance facilities, the government think tank has to get cracking

0 0

john frazer Wednesday, 22 October 2025 05:43 PM

Its an extortion like some western countries when the privet sector is playing a part in any industry there should be a regulated independent government body to oversee all . In sri lankas case it includes for privet schools, hospitals, telecommunication. Based on the complains and the services these Regulated body issues a fine for these companies. The main purpose is to give a value for service to the public.

0 1

Patients Thursday, 23 October 2025 06:50 AM

During COVID a private hospital charged me for 100 gloves, 100 suits (those disposable gowns) and many other things, FOR ONE NIGHT!! Not a single nurse visited me, all medicines were given to my mother who was with me!! When i questioned I was told it was hospital policy!!!!! Are these hospitals seven Star hotels?? It's HIGH TIME these rogues' activitues are looked into!!

0 0

222

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.