Dengue scare: Ggn hospitals face music for over-charging

Following a huge number of complaints from the patients suffering from dengue, the Additional Director General (Health), Dr Kamla Singh, conducted surprise inspection in various hospitals and diagnostic centres.

During the inspection, it was found that 11 hospitals and three diagnostic centres were over-charging their patients for conducting dengue tests.

Last week it came to light that many hospitals and diagnostic centres in the Millennium City were over-charging their patients. Where the district Health department has identified only one test that should be conducted to diagnose dengue, these hospitals and diagnostic centres were found conducting multiple tests (some of which are not essential to detect dengue), compiling them in attractive packages that has no other purpose but to fill their pockets.

According to government directives, dengue tests should cost Rs 600 while these hospitals and diagnostic centres were found charging between Rs 1,000-1,900.

Taking strict action in this regard, the district Health authorities banned 11 diagnostic centres and hospitals from conducting dengue tests for the next 24 hours.

According to the information received, two of the most reputed centres--Lal Pathological lab and Jain Hospital (Sector 14) have been barred from conducting any <g data-gr-id="37">dengue related</g> test in their labs for the next 48 hours. The district Health authorities have also ordered the labs to make a list of tests that they conducted in the past one week and refund the <g data-gr-id="39">over-charged</g> amount to their customers.

However, on contacting the various diagnostic centres, they refused to comment anything on the issue.

Another well-known centre — Suraj Diagnostic Centre — have been blacklisted, issued a notice and barred by the state government panel as it in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the Civil hospital, Gurgaon.

During the inspection, it also came to light that four private hospitals — Medicity, Artemis, Fortis and Paras were found flouting the guidelines provided for the treatment of dengue. The district authorities reported negligence on the part of the private hospitals, for instance, <g data-gr-id="35">absence</g> of isolation centres.

“We have issued a notice to the private hospitals also, and if they don’t work on it, we will take stringent action against them”, T L Satyaprakash, Deputy Commissioner (Health) said.