Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the credit for reducing stent prices again. He made this statement even after being reminded repeatedly in the past that he had no role to play in this case. It is not the government that has controlled the prices, the Delhi High Court is responsible for.
In December 2016 the Delhi High Court had ordered the Center to fix MRP and ceiling price for stents by March 1, 2017. This was after repeated PILs were filed for the same. The first was by advocate Birender Sangwan in 2014.
In April 2017, the government had pointed out that stent prices have been slashed by 85 per cent. However, the cardiac stent, a device made of wire mesh measuring only a few millimetres still costs quite high.
A June 2017 report shows how hospitals are hiking other charges to maintain profits, offsetting lower stent prices.
Sangwan told the Outlook, “After we got the prices of stents reduced, hospitals have simply raised operation charges, doctors’ visiting charges and the prices of other devices.”