Action against private hospitals GB Nagar Pandemic complaint panel

The District Head of Medicine (CMO) ordered the district head of medical care to proceed against the Prayag Hospital Section 41 in breach of the Protocol, in a panel established up to consider concerns against Gautam Budh Nagar’s private hospitals during the second wave of Covid-19. Then the patient died later.

The hospital denied the allegations and said they will challenge the ruling.

The complaint was filed by the patient’s son on July 12. According to the complaint, the woman was admitted on April 17 with a severe case of Covid-19 and passed away on May 21.

“As per the complainant, the hospital prescribed the patient 11 vials of Remdesivir drug. However, as per protocols set by the Director General Medical and Health Services, Uttar Pradesh, the number of vials prescribed to a Covid patient cannot be more than six. The complainant at the time had to pay an exorbitant amount to source the vials to save his mother,” said civil judge Sushil Kumar, who is the president of Pandemic Public Grievance Committee (PPGC).

The committee had sent a notice to the hospital management on July 16 seeking its reply.

“A representative from the hospital denied the allegations and said that it did not prescribe 11 vials to the patient but an investigation into the bills charged by the hospital found that it [the allegation] was true. Hence, the CMO of the district has been instructed to take legal action under the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act and under the rules of medical council of India, and inform the PPGC committee within 15 days,” said Kumar.

He added that the patient was charged ₹7 lakh by the hospital that was paid immediately.

CMO Dr Sunil Kumar Sharma said, “The district health department will inquire into the matter and take action accordingly”.

An official from Prayag Hospital said, “The allegations are completely baseless. The hospital never prescribed 11 vials of remdesivir to the patient. We will challenge the decision of the committee”.

The PPGC was set up on May 21 this year after the Allahabad high court on May 11 directed the Uttar Pradesh government to set up a three-member committee in each district to look into complaints regarding difficulties faced by the public in getting Covid treatment at government and private hospitals. Officials said it has heard over 100 complaints from the public so far and ruled against several hospitals till date.