Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 1: The government has viewed seriously the fact that some private hospitals have been trying to make fast bucks in the name of coronavirus treatment while several others are refusing to admit such patients.

As a first step, licences granted to 19 hospitals have been revoked. Rs 29 lac collected by hospitals illegally from coronavirus patients has been refunded. It is hoped that hospitals functioning in other districts which are involved with daylight robbery and harassment will learn their lessons and work as per rules. Seven teams with one IAS officer and one IPS officer have been formed by the chief secretary T S Vijay Kumar, to keep an eye on such violations. These teams will visit individual hospitals and check whether beds have been set aside for corona patients and whether they are being admitted and treated.

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Patients can file complaints for denying treatment, not extending proper treatment, recovery of excessive fee etc by contacting COVID helpline 104 or 1075. They can also call 080-46848600. Director in the department of health and family welfare, Dr Omprakash Patil, said that after serving notices to some hospitals after registering suo motu cases, several among them have made amends in their functioning and begun to admit patients. Deputy commissioners and district health officers have the power to register cases against the hospitals.

Senior advocate G R Mohan, who has filed petition in the high court alleging that many hospitals are either owned by politicians or wield political influence which have a lobby of their own. He alleged that the government therefore is not acting against private hospitals which have violated norms.

In the meantime, IPS officer D Roopa, tweeted to minister Dr Sudhakar. She said that she and IAS officer Harsh Gupta, have been given the responsibility of checking all hospitals. She said like already done in case of several hospitals, the team will control systems at other hospitals. She said that with court permission, investigation can be undertaken for cognizable offence under the Disaster Management Act.