COVID-19 recognition of Ramesh Cardiac Hospitals cancelled by Andhra's Krishna district admin

The Krishna district administration on Friday cancelled the recognition of Ramesh Cardiac Hospitals in the city as the District Covid Hospital and prohibited it from admitting corona patients.
Representational image.  (File Photo | PTI)
Representational image.  (File Photo | PTI)

VIJAYAWADA: The Krishna district administration on Friday canceled the recognition of Ramesh Cardiac Hospitals in the city as the District COVID Hospital and prohibited it from admitting corona patients. The Health Department also issued a notice to the hospital summoning the management for questioning in the presence of District Medical and Health Officer at his camp office in the city on August 30.

In his order, District Collector and Magistrate A Md Imtiaz stated that as per GO Ms No 77 from the Health Department, the district administration identified some hospitals as District Covid Hospitals in two categories -- Category A (meant only for Covid positive patients) and Category B (meant for both Covid positive and non-positive patients). 

Dr Ramesh Cardiac and Multispeciality Hospital Private Limited in Vijayawada was selected as Category A hospital for treatment of Covid patients. Following the fire mishap at Hotel Swarna Palace, which was being operated as Covid Care Centre for treatment of Covid-19 patients by Ramesh Hospitals, a five-member committee, headed by the Joint Collector (Health and Development), was formed to inquire into the incident. The panel’s preliminary report indicated that the hospital authorities did not take precautionary measures while operating the hotel as the Covid Care Centre and also charged patients far in excess of what was prescribed under GO Ms No 77.

The Health Department, in the notice issued to Ramesh Hospitals, summoned the management to appear before the DM&HO of Krishna on August 30 to give a written explanation. The three charges made against the hospital are — Violation of Rule (9) of AP Allopathic Private Medical Care Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Rules in respect of non-display of rates charged for each type of service provided by the hospital for the benefit of patients; violation of GO Ms No 77 and collecting exorbitant fees for every admission and admitting Covid cases in the Metropolitan Hotel without permission from the district authorities.   

Police said the whereabouts of P Ramesh Babu, MD of Ramesh Hospitals, were not known and eight teams were formed to find him. Late Friday night, Ramesh Babu released a video to the media, claiming he wasn’t absconding and blamed the hotel for the accident.

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