BHUBANESWAR: The state government has suspended the Odisha State Treatment Fund (OSTF) empanelment status of Kalinga Hospital, Bhubaneswar for allegedly violating its guidelines.
In a statement in the Assembly on Saturday, Health and Family Welfare Minister Nabakishore Das said he had ordered a probe into the alleged misbehaviour to BJP MLA from Keonjhar Sadar Mohan Charan Majhi by the authorities of the hospital.
A four-member committee led by Joint Secretary G Poonam Tapas Kumar has already submitted the probe report according to which the action has been taken against the hospital.
The OSTF empanelment status has been suspended until further order, Das said in the House. The Minister said he has asked the Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) to ensure that all other private hospitals, which have been empanelled with the OSTF, are strictly following the guidelines.
On June 29, Das had ordered a probe following the instruction of the Speaker after Keonjhar MLA alleged that Kalinga Hospital authorities misbehaved with him when he requested to release the body of a patient of his home district.
One Sachin Barik of Naradpur village under Jhumpura block of Keonjhar district had died while undergoing treatment at Kalinga Hospital.
Though all bills for his treatment were paid, the hospital authorities did not release the body allegedly demanding more money.
The deceased’s father Basudev Barik had then approached the MLA to intervene.