VIJAYAWADA: The AP High Court on Wednesday struck down the notice issued by the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) to Ramesh Hospitals on technical grounds. The DMHO served the notices after a fire at Swarna Palace hotel — from where the hospital ran a Covid Care Centre — killed 10 patients.
Senior advocate D Srinivas, arguing on behalf of the hospital, brought to the notice of the court that the DMHO served notices on the name of M/s Dr Ramesh Cardiac and Super Speciality Private Limited while they were running the hospitals under the name of M/s Ramesh Cardiac and Multi-Speciality Hospital Private Limited.
Srinivas said they replied to the DMHO notice though they don’t run any hospital under such a name. He also told the court there was no proof to substantiate the allegations that the hospital management collected exorbitant fees from patients.
Representing the state government, Additional Advocate General Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy said the notices were issued only after a preliminary investigation, and officials collected 245 pages of evidence. He further said the hospital, which sought evidence in its reply to the notices, has now approached the court on technical grounds.
Striking down the notices issued to the hospital management, Justice Durgaprasad Rao asked the DMHO to issue notices again on the name under which the hospital was registered as per the AP Allopathic Private Medical Care Establishments (Registration and Regulations) Rules Act, 2007.
The court said the hospital management will be given time to respond to the notices and
the authorities must submit proof of the allegations.
Committee visits Liberty Hospital
The three-member committee constituted to probe the allegations levelled by the wife of a patient, who passed away at the Liberty Hospital in Vijayawada on August 23 while being treated for symptoms of Covid-19, visited the hospital and directed the woman as well as the hospital management to provide evidence supporting their respective arguments. A report on the same is to be submitted to Krishna District Collector A MD Imtiaz within the next two to three days, Dr Jyotimani, one of the members of the committee, said