Apr 28, Colombo: Patients in the low income group are troubled at the government hospitals since the doctors devalue the medical equipment provided by the Ministry of Health to the patients free of charge, a senior official has said.

The doctors at state hospitals reportedly complain about the quality of the medical equipment supplied by the Ministry.

State owned The Dinamina Sinhala daily reported today that some eye surgeons at government hospitals refuse to use the lens provided by the Ministry in cataract surgeries.

They reportedly insist the patients to buy a lens produced by a certain company.

The report said that the government doctors were earning a fat commission of 51 percent from the lens which is sold at Rs. 20,000 whilst its actual value is Rs. 8000.