ISLAMABAD – Residents of Islamabad are facing a tough new reality as prices for medical devices, diagnostic kits and other healthcare equipment skyrocket, causing serious concern across the capital.

With healthcare costs rising sharply, the already strained healthcare system is becoming even more burdensome for ordinary citizens.

In a worrying trend, the cost of everyday medical items has risen drastically. The price of a wheelchair, for example, has doubled, increasing from Rs9,000 to Rs18,000.

Similarly, crutch sticks have gone up from Rs700-1,600 to a range of Rs2,500-4,000. Even basic medical tools like glucose meters are now selling for Rs2,000-2,500, up from the previous range of Rs500-1,000.

More concerning price hikes include stethoscopes, which have jumped from Rs500-700 to Rs2,000-3,000.

Blood pressure machines, once available for Rs1,500-2,800, are now priced at Rs4,500-6,000. The most significant increases are seen in more specialized equipment like chemistry analyzers, with prices escalating from Rs200,000-300,000 to a staggering Rs600,000-700,000.

LFT, RFT Tests Fees in Islamabad

Diagnostic tests are also feeling the impact of the price hike. Tests like LFT and RFT (Liver Function Test and Renal Function Test), which once cost Rs300, now range between Rs700-1,100.

Other commonly used test kits have followed suit—thyroid test kits have increased from Rs1,000 to Rs3,000, while fertility test kits have jumped from Rs1,200 to a hefty Rs5,000.