10 Khammam hosps barred

The task force cracked the whip on 10 private hospitals in Khammam for violating the

Covid-19 guidelines. The permissions given to these hospitals for treating such patients have been cancelled.

The violations included not displaying the price list of medical services and medicines, treating more

Covid-19 patients than was allowed, collecting more fees from the patients not only for the remdesivir injections but also for tests like rapid antigen test and CT scan.

Some of these hospitals have been treating

Covid-19 patients without taking permission. These hospitals appointed agents in the villages and treated the patients.

These hospitals collected `3 lakh to `4 lakh from each Covid19 patient. High rates for every service, test and medicines have been charged from them.

The hospitals were Viswas Multi-Specialty Hospital, Cure Hospital, Prasanthi Hospital, Marwell Hospital, Janani Children Hospital, Indus Hospital, Vijayalaxmi Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sri Balaji Chest and Diabetes Centre, New Home

Hospital and Sankalpa C-Star Hospital.

According to official sources, these entities together collected `20 crore by way of additional charges from patients. Many of the patients mortgaged their assets to pay the medical bills. The task force team received scores of complaints against these hospitals, following which action was taken.

It is recalled that a Balaji Chest Hospital doctor Syamsunder had been arrested sometime ago for not only cheating a patient but also causing the death of a patient for administering a duplicate remdesivir vial.

District medical and health officer Malathi said hospitals treating Covid-19 patients without permission should face police cases.