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Ministry of Health fixes per unit price of blood

The Ministry of Health has announced a fixed price for blood units and its components for private health establishments which will be effective from today.

A ministerial decree number 40 for the year 2006 was passed to this effect after a decision taken by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The decision also comes in the wake of a report published by Khaleej Times on June 1, 2006 highlighting illegal practice by private hospitals making profit on blood units dispensed to patients.

Under the decree, the price of one blood unit has been fixed by the MoH at Dh825 for private hospitals while the government sector gets the blood free of cost.

The Minister of Health, Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami, said the decision has been taken after complaints by patients regarding the high charges of blood and discrepancies in hospitals. “The aim of the new decree is to monitor the prices and protect the patients’ rights. Some hospitals had grossly exaggerated the prices and were making as much as Dh1,400 as profit on each unit. The MoH supplies blood to private hospitals at Dh600 per unit,” he added.

In June this year, Khaleej Times had presented an investigative report to the head of the Blood Transfusion and Research Centre following complaints by patients who alleged that private hospitals were charging them for blood whether transfused to a patient or not.

The investigation revealed that almost 90 per cent of private hospitals in the UAE extorted money from unsuspecting patients on the pretext of administering blood.

The malpractice did not end here as the wastage of blood was rampant in most hospitals due to lack of clear directives and stringent measures by the health authorities.

Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Director of Blood Transfusion and Research Services, had said, “There is a disagreement over the rules and policies between private hospitals and the blood bank. We will take up the issue seriously and a proper solution will be found.”

Some hospitals are reportedly making profit between Dh14,000-28,000 only for blood especially from people who needed 10-20 units. Dr Al Amiri said, “The hospitals are still making a net profit of Dh250 on each unit on the new price. This is enough to cover the laboratory and administrative charges though we consider that Dh80 will be sufficient to meet these expenses.”

According to the details of tests, a complete blood unit could be available for Dh825 and includes cost of components, matching test, antibodies test and administration costs.

A concentrated blood cells unit will also cost Dh825, frozen plasma fluid (unit) will cost Dh450, Concentrated Platelet Unit will cost Dh150 while Concentrated Platelet Unit (Apherisis System) is priced at Dh750. The decree was announced at a meeting held by directors of all hospitals at the MoH yesterday.