2 Kovai hospitals barred from admitting COVID patients

The government has started cracking the whip on private hospitals for fleecing patients during the pandemic. On Friday, two private hospitals in Coimbatore and Tirupur have been barred from admitting new COVID-19 patients for treatment.

A notice has been served to Dr Muthu’s Hospital in Saravanampatti in Coimbatore on Friday by the Health Department not to admit COVID-19 patients temporarily. In the notice, E Raja, Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services (in-charge) has said that the hospital failed to co-operate for an inquiry and audit process taken up by the district administration.

“The hospital has been temporarily suspended from treating new COVID-19 patients as per the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments Act, 1997 and Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments (Regulation) Rules, 2018,” said the order. The hospital has also been asked to discharge patients under treatment for infection only after they recover completely.

The action comes a day after the district administration commenced an inquiry into complaints against four private hospitals for overcharging and medical negligence. A multi-disciplinary committee has been formed to probe into the complaints for initiating action based on the outcome of the inquiry.

In Tirupur, a private hospital, which charged Rs 19.05 lakhs from a patient for COVID treatment has also been issued with a notice cancelling the license given to treat the patients.

In the order, Bagyalakshmi, Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services said that the action has been taken after an inquiry confirmed that Sowmiya Hospital in Perumanallur had charged an exorbitant amount from the patient. Already, the hospital has been barred from admitting COVID-19 patients. Despite charging high, the hospital also discharged a dying 62-year-old patient citing oxygen shortage.