'Benefits for hernia, hydrocelectomy & dental surgeries only at govt hospitals'

kolkata: No private hospitals in the state will now be able to conduct hernia operations, hydrocelectomy and also dental surgeries under Swasthya Sathi scheme as the Health department has already issued directives to the hospitals in this regard.

Patients requiring these surgeries will have to avail the treatment under the Swasthya Sathi scheme from the government hospitals. As per the government directives, if any private hospital carries out appendectomy (removal of appendix) while conducting any other abdominal surgery the state government will not bear the cost of appendectomy under the Swasthya Sathi scheme.

Sources in the Health department said that all the government-run health facilities even in the rural areas have enough infrastructure to perform these surgeries. Health department is trying to ensure that people undergo these surgeries in the government hospitals so that these facilities are utilised.State Health department in the last month directed various private hospitals to upload the packages of treatment for the patients who are given treatment under Swasthya Sathi scheme immediately after admission and also their discharge summary on the Health department's portal after the department spotted some irregularities in the packages and bills submitted by these hospitals.

It was found that many private hospitals and nursing homes are admitting patients under a certain package but they are submitting to the department a different package for the same patients. The Health department also found that patients are often admitted under one doctor but they are released by another doctor.State Health department earlier this year imposed a cumulative fine of Rs 5.31 crore on more than 20 nursing homes and private hospitals across the state for allegedly fudging Swasthya Sathi bills.

Ever since the Swasthya Sathi scheme was introduced by the Mamata Banerjee government, a section of the private hospitals has been creating obstacles in various ways. There were incidents reported in the past as well where private hospitals indulged in corrupt practices and submitted false bills to the Health department.

The State Health department came to know that some nursing homes prepared fudged Swasthya Sathi bills and allegedly misappropriated around a few lakh rupees using the biometric card of a Swasthya Sathi consumer.

Some nursing homes in the districts allegedly submitted fake bills of gall bladder operation and appendix operation.