A hospital in China has sparked controversy by charging a patient for using a chair while receiving an intravenous infusion. At the end of June, a billing statement from the publicly funded Ningxia Children’s Hospital circulated on mainland social media, revealing a five yuan (70 US cents) fee for a seat, according to Zonglan Video.
The patient’s age and specific treatment were not disclosed, but the bill indicated the medication included antibiotics. An official from the hospital in Yinchuan, located in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region in northwestern China, explained that the fee covered two days of chair use during the infusion process. The official emphasized that the charge adhered to the regulations set by the pricing authority, denying any random fee collection.
The Ningxia Healthcare Security Administration, which oversees hospital pricing, confirmed the legitimacy of the charge. “We have a regulation that allows hospitals to charge five yuan for using a bed during the infusion process and half that amount for using a chair,” an administration official stated.
The chair fee has ignited intense debate on mainland social media, amassing over 5 million views on Douyin alone. Many users expressed their frustration and disbelief. “Hospitals are so commercial. I feel speechless about this fee,” one commenter wrote. Another questioned, “Is there anything left that they do not charge fees for?” A third sarcastically asked, “Are ordinary people now expected to bring their own chair to see doctors from now on?”
This is not the first time hospital seating fees have caused an uproar. In 2011, mainland media reported that a major health center in Shandong province charged three yuan for chair use. Following public backlash, local authorities ordered all publicly run hospitals to cancel fees for chairs, heating, and rubbish disposal. However, in 2016, when Chuncheng Evening News reported that some large hospitals in Yunnan province collected bed and chair fees, the provincial health authority defended the institutions, asserting they conformed to regulations.
The recent incident at Ningxia Children’s Hospital highlights ongoing concerns about the commercialization of healthcare services in China and raises questions about the fairness and transparency of medical fees.
READ MORE: