Private hospital fined ₹75 lakh for ‘fleecing’ COVID-19 patient
East Godavari Joint Collector Ch. Kirthi on Friday imposed a fine of ₹75 lakh on the management of Sai Sudha Hospital at Kakinada for charging a coronavirus patient ₹14 lakh for treatment in violation of the fee guidelines.
The patient, O. Satyanarayana (53), was declared dead in the hospital on May 20. In response to a complaint lodged by the family members of the deceased, Ms. Kirthi on Friday conducted an investigation in the presence of Sai Sudha Hospital managing director Dr.Vadrevu Ravi, who is also the president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kakinada.
“The hospital management has been fined ₹75 lakh for violating the COVID-19 treatment guideline. The hospital has also been told to return ₹11 lakh to the family of Satyanarayana,” said the Joint Collector.
Meanwhile, the Additional DMHO warned that the hospital would be seized if any such violation would be found during the investigation being done simultaneously by the government and the police.
In response to a separate complaint lodged by the deceased family, the police have registered cases against Dr. Vadrevu Ravi and hospital manager Kalam under the Section 188, 420 and 384 of the IPC and the Epidemic Act and Disaster Management Acts.
III-Town Circle Inspector S.R. Koteswara Rao said that the treatment records of the Satyanarayana had been seized from the hospital and sent to the Health Department for investigation to the alleged medical negligence.
‘No bills issued’
“The hospital authorities did not issue any bills to the patient. The police have intensified the investigation into the alleged violations of the COVID-19 treatment and fee guidelines by the hospital,” said Koteswara Rao.
Meanwhile, Collector D. Muralidhar Reddy said that the hospital management paid the fine of ₹75 lakh and compensation of ₹11 lakh to the family of the deceased on Friday evening. “The family was compensated within a day after receiving a grievance, he said.