BACK FROM BANGKOK, THAILAND: The treatment is more expensive than the services received. Many people are in a fix seeing the amount of expense for treatment. 

This is why the number of Bangladeshi patients is reducing drastically day by day at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok.

According to a rough estimate, the number has come down to one third during last seven years. The information was gathered from the in-patient (IPD) department of the hospital.

It was also authenticated by some Bangladeshi patients who went there for treatment. They claimed that the cost of diagnostic tests, nursing services and cost of medicines have increased several times than before. These are the reasons of the reduction of Bangladeshi patients here. 

However, the Bumrungrad authorities think that the number has fallen as many quality hospitals have been set up in Bangladesh.

According to a statistics received from Bumrungrad, in 2007, about 35 to 40 Bangladeshi patients were found admitted there. But in 2014 that number has come down to 10 to 15.

One staff of the hospital told that earlier Bangladeshis were found in every floor of the hospital but the present scene is different.

One Helaluddin, an admitted patient of the hospital told banglanews: “A few years back the treatment cost in Bangladesh was almost similar to Bangkok. At that time many patients used to come here but the number has fallen so drastically due to the expenses hike.”  

Helaluddin also said during last 5/7 years the treatment cost has become more than double and the cost of medicine has also increased.

But the professionalism of the doctors and improved nursing services still attract many Bangladeshis to Bumrungrad and I am one of them, said Helaluddin.

The patients who got treated at Bumrungrad told that at the very initial stage they are to pay TK 2600 to TK 5200 (THB 1000-2000) only for counseling.

Next stage is diagnostic fee. Any Bangladeshi patients is to start the tests from the very beginning as doctors at Bumrungrad do not accept the testing results of any Bangladeshi diagnostic centers resulting huge expense in that purpose. 

Bumrungrad authorities said, “We cannot depend on the results as the test results of different Bangladeshi centers show different results. This is why the patients are advised to get fresh tests.”

The cost of ‘comprehensive program’ means the test of every organ of human body costs TK 48,000 while the leading Bangladeshi diagnostic centers costs maximum TK 12,000 to 20,000. 

Next comes, the cost of medicines which is also expensive as the physicians prescribe nothing but Thai products. Even when the prescribed medicine gets exhausted those are to bring from Bangkok by costly courier service.

The authority claimed that one must preserve drugs in 25°C to maintain the quality and all the drug stores in Bangkok are air-conditioned. That is why the Thai products are prescribed.

The Bangladeshi representative of Bumrungrad MA Hassan told banglanews, “The hospital authority is very strict about discipline so no one poor or rich is given any concession.” 

However, the hospital authority does not agree with the conception of decreasing the number of patients due to expense hike. 

They opined that the number of patients has decreased as a few hospitals in Bangladesh have ensured international standard treatment facilities. 

A senior official of the hospital opined that the value of Bangladeshi currency has caused another problem. Where a Thai person needs THB1000 a Bangladeshi needs TK 2,005 due to currency variation.

Besides, the boarding cost for the relatives accompanying the patient has discouraged people.

The hotels around the hospital at Sukhumvit are all expensive, told many Bangladeshis.

The cost of the food available around the hospital is also expensive including the Bangladeshi food.

BDST: 1645 HRS, SEP 18, 2014