Govt saving pvt hosps: HC
Court had sought report on action taken against erring pvt hospitals
The state government faced a volley of questions from the Telangana High Court over action taken against private hospitals which were fleecing Covid-19 patients, unclear reports provided by officials and the death toll due to the disease.
A division bench of Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy was dealing with 20 PILs complaining about the lack of infrastructure in staterun hospitals, the government conducting few tests and private hospitals overcharging patients.
Three weeks ago, the court had sought a detailed report about the action taken against erring private hospitals, and the progress on issuing of circular like the Delhi government which had taken control of 50 per cent of beds in private hospitals,
The government submitted a 130-page report just three minutes before the PILs came up for hearing. The report did not contain the information that the court sought. Furious at this, the bench cautioned officers to not misguide the court. “We are not here to say ‘okay’ to whatever you submit,” the bench stated.
Regarding the deaths due to Covid-19 listed in the health department’s daily bulletin, Chief Justice Chauhan said: “I refuse to believe only 9 or 10 people are dying due to Covid-19 daily, whereas positive cases are between 2,000 and 3,000. Look at your reports of the last one month… regularly it was the same by adding or reducing one or two numbers. It is to be suspected that something is being hidden and somebody is not coming out with true figures.”
“An advocate had asked us to appoint a committee to find out the correct number of deaths. Do you want this court to appoint a committee at every cremation ground to find out the number of deaths due to Covid,” the Chief Justice asked.
The bench was outraged that the government did not reveal the names of corporate hospitals which had been given government land on concession, on the condition that they render free medical services of the poor to some extent. The government also did not name hospitals which had been issued notices on complaints of overcharging.
The report only stated that three hospitals had been given land on concession. Complaints against 211 hospitals were received, notices issued to 161 and showcause notices to 38. Permission to treat Covid patients had been revoked for three hospitals.
The court observed that the government was trying to protect these hospitals. Reacting to the submissions by the medical director the government had conducted a meeting with private hospitals over taking over 50 per cent beds, the Chief Justice observed, “What has happened since we issued directions 17 days ago to issue a circular? On the same day, your health minister made a statement on this. No action yet was taken, why are you delaying?”
The court asked the government was submit its state and district disaster management plans along with a fresh cohesive report and explain whether or not it was going to take over 50 per cent beds in private hospitals. The court sought the report by September 22 and adjourned the hearing to September 24.