RTI reveals plaints against pvt hospitals’

The Hindu : Gurugram: Monday, December 11, 2017.

Over 30 complaints of medical negligence, unethical conduct from 2011-2016

A Right to Information (RTI) application has revealed that over 30 complaints of alleged medical negligence and unethical conduct were received by the Gurugram Chief Medical Officer (CMO) against different private hospitals here over the past few years. However, little or no action was initiated against these hospitals.

FIR lodged

The revelation came a day after a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against a doctor at Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) here on Saturday night on a complaint by the Haryana government following the death of a seven-year-old girl during dengue treatment.

Mohit Khatana of non-government organisation People Against Medical Corruption had filed the RTI.

The Gurugram CMO’s reply stated that 18 complaints were received against Medanta Hospital from 2011 to October 2016, followed by five each against Artemis and Paras Hospitals, and three against Max Hospital.

These complaints range from medical negligence and unethical conduct to non-implementation of government policies and the National Health Programme. Mr. Khatana claimed to have met some of the complainants.

“A few of them were literally in tears while recounting their nightmarish experiences at these hospitals,” claimed Mr. Khatana.

EWS patients

The law student said his request for attested copies of action taken in these cases was not entertained.

“I was told that probe reports were sent to the organisations concerned, such as the Haryana Medical Council, but the CMO Office did not have the authority to initiate action,” he said.

The RTI also revealed that very few patients from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category were treated at these hospitals despite private hospitals in Gurugram having availed subsidies worth several crores from the Haryana government.

As per the reply, the CMO referred just 20 EWS patients to FMRI, 26 to Medanta and 43 to Artemis over the past over six years. However, the Gurugram Civil Hospital has referred 9,076 patients to various government hospitals in Delhi since 2014.

“I wrote to several private hospitals in city for details on EWS patients treated under the HUDA [Haryana Urban Development Authority] policy but was told that they did not come under the purview of the RTI Act. I have lodged a complaint with the Chief Minister’s Grievance Redressal Cell,” said Mr. Khatana.