Hospitals banned from raising fees

DILI, East Timor: Health Minister Sujudi has said public clinics and hospitals across the country are not allowed to raise service fees despite the monetary crisis, according to a health official.

"An increase in service fees coupled with a three to fourfold increase in the price of medicines would pose an extremely heavy burden on the public," the head of the East Timor Health Service, Alex Unusfinit, said Saturday.

Service fees charged by public health service centers have remained unchanged from Rp 200 to Rp 500 per person, he said as reported by Antara.

The government has given subsidies to ensure service fees charged by public health service centers remain at the lowest possible level, he said.

"Unless the government gave subsidies the service fees would range from Rp 4,000 to Rp 5,000 per person," he said.