IndiaPosted at: Sep 16 2026 9:14PM


Congress Seeks Nationwide Probe Into Medical Device Pricing, Jairam Ramesh Flags Patient Costs

New Delhi, Sep 16 (UNI) Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday alleged that healthcare costs for ordinary citizens were continuing to rise under the BJP government and said the issue extended beyond hospital pricing practices to the accountability of the regulatory system.
Citing findings from an investigation by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ramesh said an intravenous (IV) set costing Rs 11.05 had been found to be sold at Rs 325, representing a price difference of about 2,841 per cent. He also said a catheter purchased for Rs 29.41 was being supplied to a patient for Rs 310.
“BJP sarkar mein aam aadmi ke liye ilaaj lagataar mehnga hota ja raha hai, aur ab sawaal sirf aspataalon ki manmaani ka nahi, sarkaari niyaman ki jawaabdehi ka bhi hai,” Ramesh said in his statement.
He argued that patients admitted to hospitals were often in no position to negotiate prices or immediately seek alternatives, particularly when essential medical equipment was involved.
“When a patient is admitted to a hospital, he neither has the power to determine the price nor the immediate option to choose an alternative,” Ramesh said, adding that such a wide gap between procurement and patient prices could not be treated merely as a matter of market forces.
He described the issue as one involving public health and regulatory oversight, asking: “Sawaal seedha hai: mareez ki majboori ko bazaar ki azaadi ke naam par kab tak chhoda jaayega?”
Ramesh called on the Centre to undertake an immediate nationwide review of the pricing of medical devices, trade margins and the amounts being charged to patients by hospitals. He sought a transparent and effective regulatory mechanism to ensure that patients were not subjected to excessive charges for essential medical equipment.
The Congress leader’s intervention comes amid continuing concerns over the affordability of healthcare and the prices charged by private hospitals for medicines, consumables and medical devices. Unlike many medicines, the pricing of medical devices involves a range of regulatory and market considerations, including procurement costs, distribution margins and hospital-level billing practices.
Ramesh said the Maharashtra FDA findings highlighted the need for the Centre to examine the issue at a national level rather than treating individual cases as isolated instances. He also argued that greater transparency in hospital billing and stronger oversight of pricing practices were necessary to protect patients, particularly when they had limited alternatives during medical emergencies.
The Congress has repeatedly raised the issue of rising healthcare costs and called for stronger regulation of private healthcare providers. Ramesh’s latest statement places the focus specifically on the gap between the procurement price of essential medical devices and the amount ultimately charged to patients, demanding greater accountability from both the healthcare sector and the regulatory authorities. UNI SKA CDS
Tags: #Congress Seeks Nationwide Probe Into Medical Device Pricing# Jairam Ramesh Flags Patient Costs
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