oimbatore: District Collector on Monday has reportedly served a notice to a private hospital named Sri Lakshmi in Coimbatore’s Kavundampalayam area for charging excess amount from Covid patients.
Coimbatore: District Collector on Monday has reportedly served a notice to a private hospital named Sri Lakshmi in Coimbatore’s Kavundampalayam area for charging excess amount from Covid patients. Citing non-adherance to the government’s newly capped price instructions, the hospital has been asked to stop treating Covid patients
The state government had capped the amount charged at all the private hospitals across the state for the treatment of patients infected with the coronavirus. However, a few private hospitals in and across the state are said to have violating the rules. In Coimbatore, almost one third of the private hospitals providing corona treatment have allegedly been cashing in on the situation.
While coronavirus cases are steeply rising, the private hospitals in the city capitalize on the mass fear of people and charge exorbitant sums for treatment, patients and their relatives allege.
Upon hearing that a private hospital charged a patient a whopping amount of Rs. 40,000, per day for COVID treatment, officials in the health department and the District Collector reacted promptly to a complaint raised by a family member and came down heavily upon the healthcare provider.
The issue is not rife just in Coimbatore, but happens all around such as the recent cases was in Salem and Trichy, where private labs were shut down following complaints of fleecing and fake results.
Selvarajan, Honorary Chairman of FEDCOT (Federation of Consumer Organizations of Tamil Nadu) said they have been receiving complaints on the issue and even a few victims from Chennai have moved the court and received compensation.
“ The act of the District Collector serving notice to malpracticing hospitals to refrain from providing corona treatment is a notable move. And, if the victims approach us, we are ready to do the needful” he added.