‘Criminal action against hospitals for fleecing patients’
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:19.05.2021
Tamil Nadu chief secretary V Irai Anbu on Tuesday warned stringent action against private hospitals fleecing patients undergoing Covid treatment. He also said any government official taking bribe from people for distributing aid would be booked.
The warning has come in the backdrop of reports that many private hospitals are charging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 75,000 per day as just room rent for Covid treatment. There was also a video in circulation on Tuesday, showing government officials admitting to taking Rs 500 bribe for distributing Rs 2,000 per ration card holding family as Covid relief.
In a strongly-worded statement, the CS said that people were facing medical emergencies, financial crisis and mental agony owing to the pandemic. In such a situation, some government employees, corporate hospitals and private firms were indulging in “unlawful and inhuman acts”. Chief minister has ordered that stringent action should be taken against such people, said Irai Anbu.
The government has directed all secretaries and heads of departments to take action against their subordinates found guilty of indulging in such activities, he said. Similarly, police department, especially director of vigilance and anti-corruption, has been directed to take suitable action against erring officials, he said.
“Whoever it may be and whatever position he/she may be in, appropriate action will be taken against them based on complaints,” said the CS. He added the government would step up surveillance in places where public are subjected to harassment.
The government machinery has been functioning relentlessly to save the lives of people during the pandemic. However, the acts of some corrupt people in the system was tarnishing the image of upright government servants, he said.
WORD OF CAUTION: The warning to private hospitals came amid reports that hospitals are charging a bomb as just room rent for Covid treatment
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