GNRC Hosp charges ‘Swasthya Sathi’ patient; North 24-Parganas CMoH asked to probe incident

Kolkata: The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) has directed the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMoH) of North 24-Parganas to undertake a spot visit to GNRC Hospital in Barasat after it charged a ‘Swasthya Sathi’ patient.

One Maniul Alam Molla registered a complaint with the WBCERC saying he was charged despite having a ‘Swasthya Sathi’ card. On the basis of the complaint, the WBCERC has asked the CMoH to conduct a probe and examine if the private hospital charged the patient despite getting Rs 56,100 from the government under the scheme.

“We have asked the CMoH to conduct a thorough probe into the incident and submit a report to the Commission within 15 days. The CMoH has been urged to do an immediate spot visit. In a separate incident, we have also asked Park View Nursing Home to return additional amount they charged on a Swasthya Sathi patient,” WBCERC Chairperson Justice (retired) Ashim Banerjee said.

The WBCERC has asked Sanjeevan Hospital to return Rs 5,000 to a patient’s family after they were exorbitantly charged by the hospital.

One Soumya Chatterjee admitted his mother to the hospital with a UTI infection and fever. The patient developed bed sores and was charged Rs 500 per day for engaging in physiotherapy and an ‘aya’ was also deployed.

The Commission found it unusual as to how the patient developed grade II bed sores when she was attended by a physiotherapist and ‘aya’ everyday.