65,000 ‘ghost patients’ went for tests at Delhi's Mohalla clinics
NEW DELHI: The Anti Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) investigation into fake test on ghost patient scam at Mohalla Clinics has revealed a deep nexus between government officials and the laboratories.
The preliminary inquiry showed that during February and December last year, as many as 65,000 diagnostic tests were found to be fake or manipulated. Moreover, 63% of patient registered with the labs confessed of not getting any tests done or even visitin any Mohalla clinic.
According to the probe documents, two private labs—Agilus Diagnostics Ltd and Metropolis Healthcare – conducted nearly 22 lakh tests during February-December, 2023, out of which 65,000 were found to be fake while the labs were paid Rs 4.63 crore by the government for the same.
The cost of conducting different tests at Mohalla clinics varied from Rs 100 to Rs 300.
The development has come after the L-G VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the reports of irregularities in lab tests conducted at the Mohalla clinics. The MHA has directed the CBI to undertake investigation in the matter while the ACB was directed to provide supportive evidence to the central probe agency.
“It also emerged that the Lab Management Information System (LIMS), containing the name and mobile number of the patients, was also developed, operated and conveniently manipulated by the two private labs,” it said.
The ACB also found that the two private vendors have “full control and access” over the data and system software and hence, the possibility of manipulation of data could not be ruled out.
The ACB, also through random tele-verification of mobile numbers of patients at both the private labs, found that a large number of tests were conducted on either invalid mobile numbers or mobile numbers not related to the patients.
“It came out that an overwhelming 63 per cent had neither got any test done, nor visited any Mohalla Clinic ever,” the ACB said.