Fortis Gurugram charging Rs 18 lakh from parents of a dengue patient has left several shocked around India.

The alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare has shot a letter to PM Narendra Modi seeking his urgent intervention to make healthcare more affordable.

Mind-boggling trade margins in medicines and medical devices have spiked the cost of healthcare.

Fortis Gurugram charged parents of the seven-year-old girl for 1,600 syringes and 2,700 gloves at MRP.

Alarmed at the incident, the Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to end the prevalent medical corruption.

The alliance has sought urgent steps by the government to avoid the recurrence of the Gurugram incident. Its letter addressed to the PM urges that the central government spending on the health is mere 0.26 per cent of the GDP, this needs to be increased to minimum of 5 per cent. The healthcare system needs to be regulated. Drug prices should be brought down. Medical profession has turned into a profiteering business and urgent steps required to curb it.

Dr GS Grewal of the Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare told India Today, "It is high time the PM delivers on his promise to make healthcare more affordable for those living below the poverty line. Urgent steps must be taken by the government to put an end to this ongoing medical corruption."

But voluntary representative body of doctors in the country, the Indian Medical Association has defended Fortis. The IMA National President told India Today that it can investigate the role of doctor in case parents of the deceased chose to report against him.

National President of the Indian Medical Association Dr KK Agarwal said, "Packets of 200 gloves each are given from safai karmchari to nurse to doctor to attend to any patient but it has to accountable and unused ones should be returned, similarly any syringe unused must be returned."

The IMA has also called for bench-marking of medical standard operating procedures by the government. But activists aren't happy.

Healthcare activist Malini Aisola said, "There is a massive exploitation in the healthcare system. These corporate chain hospitals are designed to maximize their profits and affordability of the patients is not a consideration at all."

The Modi government has capped prices of heart stents and orthopedic medical devices earlier this year. But the long pending demand of capping of drugs remains unaddressed.