A team of officers headed by District Health and Family Welfare Officer Janardhan raided and sealed a private multi-specialty hospital that was said to have been operating without registration under Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Act, in Ballari on Friday.
As per information provided by sources in the Health Department, the team, which included Taluk Health and Family Welfare Officer Mohan Kumari and District RCH Officer Anil Kumar, carried out a surprise raid on the premises of Svastha Hospital situated at Sudha Cross in Ballari city and found that the hospital was operating illegally without obtaining necessary permissions. The team members visited the operation theatre, the intensive care unit, patient wards and other departments and took stock of the procedures being followed in offering medical services. It is learnt that the hospital authorities failed to provide the required information and documents, including the registration certificate and the price list for different treatment. Since the owner of the hospital was not present, the lab technician told the team that doctors visited the hospital as and when required.
The team members then visited the wards and took information from the patients about the treatment offered and the money paid. Alerted by the raid, the owner rushed to the hospital and admitted that he was running the hospital for the last eight months and promised the team members that he will get it registered under KPME Act shortly.
“We have made all the preparations and gathered necessary documents. We will shortly get the hospital registered,” he told the team members.
Speaking to The Hindu , Dr. Janardhan said that all the patients in the hospital were shifted to government and private hospitals before locking down the hospital.
“Registration under KPME Act is mandatory to run a medical establishment. This hospital is not registered. We have shifted the patients to other hospitals and locked it down. We will now submit a report to the Deputy Commissioner for further action,” Dr. Janardhan said.
Published - January 29, 2021 09:55 pm IST
