Gujarat may waive case paper charges in government hospitals, state nod awaited

The Gujarat government is considering removing case paper charges for patients in government hospitals across the state.

A proposal submitted by Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has been discussed by the government, health department sources said.

Senior officials have held meetings in this regard in Gandhinagar regarding over the issue.

At present, patients at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital are charged ₹5 for OPD (outdoor) case papers and ₹15 for indoor admissions. The hospital receives around 3,500 OPD patients daily and admits approximately 300 patients.

The proposal to eliminate these charges was sent to the health department about a year ago. Discussions have also been held on extending the decision to other government hospitals.

Sources from the Directorate of Medical Education and Research Society (DMERS) said the proposal was reviewed recently and the waiver for extension to multiple hospitals was discussed.

If approved, the decision could apply to six major civil hospitals and 13 hospitals under the Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society, covering 19 government hospitals.

A formal announcement after final approval from the state government is awaited.