Health
X-ray, ultrasound or test not available
A prescribed diagnostic test is not done in the government hospital and the patient is sent outside at private cost.
Start here
Ask the hospital whether the prescribed test is available in-house, and if the patient is sent outside, ask for a written referral and the reason.
Who is responsible
Diagnostic tests listed under the national health programmes are meant to be provided free in government facilities, and sending a patient outside for a listed test at private cost is a recognised grievance. The written referral and the reason the test could not be done are what allow the district to check whether the machine was out of order or the consumable was missing.
Important condition: Some specialised tests are referred to a higher centre by design, so a referral is not automatically a failure; ask whether the test is in the hospital's own list.
The ladder to Patna
Set your district to see local office numbers
You
Your home, village, or ward — where the problem is.
Start here
Ask the hospital whether the prescribed test is available in-house, and if the patient is sent outside, ask for a written referral and the reason.
District
Medical Officer In-charge (Civil Surgeon / MOIC)
Medical officer in charge of a government hospital or health facility in Bihar, responsible for services and staffing.
State
Health and Family Welfare Department, Bihar
Owns public hospitals, primary health centres, health programmes and the State Health Agency in Bihar.
State
Government of BiharPatna · state headquarters
State government; departments deliver citizen services through ServicePlus and department portals.
If that does not work
- 1
Ask for the written referral and the reason in writing
Open official page - 2
Complain to the district health office if the test is on the list
Open official page - 3
If you paid outside, keep the bill for the consumer forum
Open official page
Sources and evidence
- [1] Health and Family Welfare Department, BiharThe Health and Family Welfare Department is responsible for free diagnostics in government facilities in Bihar.
- [2] Lok Shikayat grievance portalLok Shikayat is the channel for complaints about a citizen service not delivered by a department.