Jalandhar: The Jalandhar district administration has discovered the authorities of Patel Hospital at Civil Strains right here charged Rs 5,500 for a Covid-19 check on July 21 whilst the federal government has mounted the utmost fees, together with taxes, at Rs 2,400.
The hospital wrongly charged Rs 3,100 in direction of the price of the private protecting gear (PPE) equipment for the protection of lab technicians and clinicians, ignoring state authorities orders of July 18 that caps the Covid-19 check fees at Rs 2,400.
An inquiry was marked by deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori on July 22 on the grievance of Rajeev Makol, a resident of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, who wanted his Covid report back to journey out of Punjab. Makol stated he received to know in regards to the mounted fees solely after his pal was charged Rs 2,400 for the check at one other lab.
Assistant commissioner (grievances) Randeep Gill, who performed the inquiry, stated in his remaining report submitted to the state well being division on Saturday that the hospital was overcharging for the check.
The report stated that the complainant met medical superintendent Dr Swapan Sood however he justified the upper fee, saying that Patel Hospital is a personal facility conducting the check domestically. Dr Sood stated that the hospital charged Rs 2,400 for the check however the remaining quantity was in direction of the PPE equipment and physician fees of pharyngeal swabbing.
“The federal government order states that Rs 2,400 is inclusive and all bills from tax to packaging, transportation, reporting and documentation is included. Cash charged by the hospital for PPE kits holds no floor,” the inquiry report stated.
LIABLE FOR ACTION
“The supply of PPE and personnel taking samples are primary protocol of the Indian Council of Medical Analysis. No laboratory can conceive taking a swab with no PPE equipment and certified personnel. Patel Hospital has erroneously or wilfully charged greater than the quantity directed by the federal government and is accountable for acceptable motion,” Gill stated, including that the DC has submitted the report back to the state well being division for additional motion.
Suspecting discrepancy within the testing of Covid-19 samples, the Put up Graduate Institute of Medical Schooling and Analysis (PGIMER) can be conducting an audit of the RT-PCR checks being carried out at Patel Hospital.
Particular secretary, well being, Isha Kalia had written to PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram that Patel Hospital, Jalandhar, reported 26.34% positivity fee of the 205 samples put via the RT-PCR (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain response) checks for Covid-19. That is excessive in comparison with different authorities and personal labs.