TIRUVANNAMALAI: A private clinic was on Wednesday sealed by the officials of Medical Services for blatant violation of the rules of establishment of clinics and covid protocol in treating patients who were made to lie on beds under tin-sheeted sheds at Arni in Tiruvannamalai district.
A team of officials led by Tiruvannamalai district joint director of medical services Dr Kannagi raided ‘Kuzhal Clinic’ located near the Old Bus Stand in Arni.
They found patients lying on beds under two sheds made of tin sheets outside the clinic building. The officials were surprised to see the records as the clinic obtained permission, with zero beds, to run as an outpatient unit. However, beds were set with oxygen support in violation of the rules.
“There were 25 beds under one shed and 10 under another shed. The sheds were made of tin sheets. Twelve patients were under treatment when we searched the clinic,” Kannagi said.
When the officials tried to move out the patients to government hospitals, the doctor at the clinic Sivaranjani engaged in a heated argument with them and tried to thwart the move but in vain.
The patients, whose saturation levels remained low, were ferried on ambulances to government hospitals in Arni, Cheyyar and Tiruvannamalai town for further treatment.
The JD said, “The records showed that license was taken for the clinic with zero beds. But they had set up 35 beds in under sheds. It is a gross violation of The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act. So, we have sealed it.”
Meanwhile, sources said the clinic was being run for about three years and the license was taken only in March 2020. With the aim of making some quick bucks by fleecing the patients as the pandemic is surging, Sivaranjani had raised tin sheet sheds to set up beds with oxygen support and treat covid patients.
The sources alleged that two government doctors, running hospitals at Arni, also treat covid patients in violation of the protocol.