CUTTACK: Expressing serious concern over agents operating inside premises of government hospitals and diverting patients to private hospitals and nursing homes, the Orissa High Court has asked the state government to regulate such activities.
The division bench of Justice Subhasis Talapatra and Justice Savitri Ratho has directed the government to file an affidavit by giving a comprehensive roadmap for improvement of the hospital services in Odisha and to regulate the activities of the undesirable persons who are engaged to pressurize or influence the poor patients to go to the private hospital for their health care.
The government should also spell out whether it is in a position to enact such regulation, the bench specified, expecting the affidavit to be filed by June 27, the date fixed for next hearing on the matter.
The concern was expressed while hearing a PIL filed by social activist and lawyer Chittaranjan Mohanty on Wednesday. The petition alleged that there are dalals who are active on the hospital campus to divert patients to private nursing homes to receive commissions.
The bench observed, “A serious allegation has been levelled that even in the hospital premises, some agents of the private hospitals are alluring the people and, in some cases, the patients are pressurized to get admitted in the private hospitals. Prima facie, we are of the view that those persons/agents cannot be allowed to operate in the government hospital and for that reason, the government should come up with a regulation to stop entry of such persons, in order to stop such activities as alleged.
According to the copy of the order, Mohanty, who appeared in person, contended that the state does not run the hospitals with efficiency and as a consequence, irregularity and inadequacies in services are ruling the roost.