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Jalandhar private hospital’s Covid facility suspended for overcharging
Action against Shamsher Hospital after Covid patient’s kin complain of malpractices to deputy commissioner
The Jalandhar district administration on Tuesday suspended the level-2 Covid care facility at a private hospital after a preliminary report submitted by the health authorities flagged malpractices, including overcharging.
Deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said that family members of a Covid patient, who died at Shamsher Hospital, complained of malpractices following which an inquiry was marked. The health authorities recommended suspension of level-2 facility for new admissions at the hospital as penalty.
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Thori said a four-member committee was set up to probe discrepancies in drug procurement and distribution as alleged in the complaint. The committee will submit its report within three days. It comprises the sub divisional magistrate-1, civil surgeon, zonal licensing authority, and senior medical officer, Wadala.
The complainant alleged that the patient was admitted to the hospital’s level-2 Covid care ward without an RT-PCR test. He was given treatment that is only given to level-3 patients and that too after consulting experts.
FIR against private lab for overcharging
The Jalandhar district administration also recommended that a case be registered against a private lab, Atulaya Laboratory, for overcharging for Covid-19 tests. Assistant commissioner (grievances) Randeep Singh wrote to the commissioner of police, Jalandhar, recommending the laboratory be booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1987, and the National Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The district-level committee found that the lab charged ₹1,200 for the Covid-19 test and ₹1,500 for home collection of samples, while the Punjab government has fixed ₹900 as the charge for conducting the Covid test.
