Mitra Keluarga hospital scolded

Mitra Keluarga hospital scolded

BEKASI (JP): Bekasi Regent Moch Djamhari reprimanded Mitra Keluarga hospital over the weekend for inflating its blood service cost to Rp 175,000 (US$22) per 300 cc, from the standard price of Rp 35,000.

The regent said a hospital was allowed to increase the service fee "a little bit" from the regular rate.

"In the Mitra Keluarga hospital case, inflating the fee to Rp 175,000 is too much," he said. He added he would send a formal warning to the hospital soon.

Djamhari made the remarks when visiting the Bekasi branch of the Indonesian Red Cross to receive a briefing from a Red Cross official, Salma Hasyim.

Salma said he had often received complaints from the public about the expensive service fee in the hospital.

"Increasing the service fee is only adding to the people's economic burden during this economic crisis," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

Djamhari said the Red Cross needed its service fee to cover expenses for blood treatment. (pan)