Punjab Government is all set to take stringent action against the hospitals which are taking advantage of the COVID-19 patients by overcharging them for treatment.
“We are receiving complaints of private hospitals fleecing the patients by charging above the rates that have been fixed by the Government, if any hospital does so they would not be spared,” said the state Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, while presiding over a virtual meeting with the state-level committee of the Indian Medical Association on Monday.
Sidhu stated that if a hospital or a doctor exploits any patient, “the Government will be forced to take very stringent action against them under Epidemic Diseases Act. The government is empowered to shut the hospital, or take control over the hospital”.
He announced that a state-level committee would soon conduct a detailed audit of the treatments of COVID-19 patients done by private hospitals. Anyone can file a complaint on 104 helpline number of Health department, Punjab and action will be taken immediately, he said.
