Sushma Gowda (Correspondent)
The BBMP officials with Nodal officers who is also actively monitoring hospitals.Over the last ten days it has filed police complaints against the top management of two well-known hospitals.
Based on the complaint,the police have booked six people from Apollo Hospital on Bannerghatta Road under the Disaster Management Act for manipulating the data of COVID-19 patients.
CEO and Operational Head among the six from Appollo hospital on Bannerghatta road have been booked under disaster management act for cheating the BBMP By manipulating the data of covid patients.
Based on the complaint the Puttenahalli police on sunday registered an FIR against CEO, Davidson,Kalpana,operational head,Shanta and Sahana,medical superintendents and Chandana and Manjula member team of Apollo hospital Arogya mitra team charging them under Disaster management act and also under cheating and section 188,(disobedience of order promolgated by public servant) of IPC.
Dr.Nagendra Kumar S,medical officer, Bommanahalli zone who conducted surprised inspection unearth the racket where the hospital denying admission to the covid patients by continue to update the SAST portal with admission even after patients have been been discharged.
This is not only led to providing misinformation and misguiding the government.But also denying treatment to the covid patients during the crisis time.
Probe by Dr.Kumar revealed that the three patients identified as Kashinath,71,Rajarao,79, Surya Narayan Shetty,73 have been admitted to hospital under BBMP reference.
While shetty admitted on april 14 and discharged on 20 April,the hospital continue to update the portal as admitted instead of discharge on 24 April.This had denied admission and treatment to other patients.
Similarly the patient Rajarao admitted to hospital on april 16 and succumbed on april 20.The hospital charged the family to pay Rs 2.4 lakh and continued to show in the portal as admitted.
In the case of Kashinath admitted on april 17 and discharged on april 22.But the hospital continued to maintain in the app on april 25 as admitted.
With this the hospital has not only cheated the patients their family and the government but also denied treatment to the deserving covid patients.
DCP South,Harish Pandey,told reporters,Dr. Nagendra Kumar S,medical officer,Bommanahalli zone,who conducted a surprise inspection unearthed a racket where the hospital was denying admission to new patients by updating the SAST portal to show that beds were booked even after recovered patients had been discharged.
This amounts to not only misleading the government but also denying treatment to the COVID-19 patients during a crisis he said.
In another similar case,the Puttenahalli police last week registered an FIR against Fortis Hospital on Bannerghatta Road under the Disaster Management Act and also under section 304(a),(death due to negligence and section,188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), of the IPC.
In the complaint,BBMP officials said the hospital had violated guidelines by allocating only 46 beds against the actual 169 beds to the civic body.
As per the complaint,on April 20, a patient was taken to the hospital on the recommendation from BBMP.
The hospital refused admission,citing non-availability of beds.Due to this treatment for the patient at the critical 3 to hours was delayed following which he succumbed by 6 pm,said the BBMP in the police complaint.
The Puttenahalli police on Sunday registered an FIR against senior hospital officials for cheating and also under sections of the Disaster Management Act and cheating.We will issue a notice to the hospital seeking an explanation. Based on the investigation,legal action will be taken,said a senior police official.
Meanwhile the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued show cause notices to four private laboratories,besides sealing two as they had failed to upload RT-PCR test results on the ICMR portal on time.
This,despite the civic body directing them to upload the results within 24 hours.
The long wait is not only a source of anxiety for citizens at a time when Bengaluru is tackling an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, but is also resulting in people losing precious time seeking treatment.
The delay in uploading the RT-PCR test results on the ICMR portal is affecting the generation of BU number by the civic body, said officials.Hospitals require a BU number to admit patients.
BBMP Chief Commissioner,Gaurav Gupta told media persons,that they have been receiving complaints regarding delay in BU-code generation due to COVID-19 test results not being uploaded on the ICMR portal by a few labs.
The KPME registration of Medall Laboratory, Aarthi Scans and Labs,RV Metropolis laboratory, and BGS Global Medical College lab has been suspended with immediate effect and the issue has been referred to ICMR to revoke the approval for COVID-19 testing in these labs.
These labs have been given show cause notice and asked to provide an explanation within 48 hours as well,said Mr.Gupta.
