Patna doctor charges just Rs 10 for consultation, fee unchanged for decades

In Patna's Bikhna Pahari area, the scene outside Dr Ejaz Ali's hospital is markedly different from what many patients may expect from a senior surgeon. Instead of sitting inside an elaborate consultation room, Ali is often seen in a simple kurta-pyjama and skull cap, sitting on a plastic chair in the open courtyard of his hospital as patients wait for their turn. The consultation fee is Rs 10. Dr Ali has kept the fee at the same amount for decades. He began practicing as a general surgeon in Patna in 1984 and, according to a February 2025 TOI report, continues to see more than 100 patients on an average day and perform seven to eight surgeries. Patients also travel to his hospital from different parts of Bihar.The low-cost approach extends beyond consultation.