HUDA serves notices on three Gurugram hospitals

CHANDIGARH: Amidst allegations of overcharging by some hospitals, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has served notices on Gurugram based hospitals Fortis, Medanta and Artemis, asking them to provide the details of poor patients they had treated under the policy governing the allotment of land to them.

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 13

Amidst allegations of overcharging by some hospitals, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has served notices on Gurugram based hospitals Fortis, Medanta and Artemis, asking them to provide the details of poor patients they had treated under the policy governing the allotment of land to them.

The hospitals have also been asked to explain the reason for not admitting local patients. It was observed at a recent meeting that the lists provided by these hospitals mentioned people who did not have Haryana domicile-a condition under the policy.

“The hospitals have been asked to provide all details within 72 hours,” said Vivek Kalia, Estate Officer–II of HUDA at Gurugram.

“Upon inspection of regular reports being sent to HUDA about BPL and EWS patients by Medicity, Fortis and Artemis hospitals, it was observed that the patients they attended to were mostly from other states and not domiciled in Haryana, as mandated under the terms and conditions of land allotment. Besides, the number of such patients attended to were also less than what these hospitals in routine are mandated,” says a report submitted by Kalia to the HUDA head office in Panchkula.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court in a case titled “Aseem Takyar Vs Director Health Services Haryana and others” had directed HUDA to apprise the court if BPL and EWS patients were getting medical aid from private hospitals.

Also, an inquiry conducted by the Health Department last month following the death of 7-year-old girl Adya Singh in Fortis had recommended to HUDA to cancel land allotment to the hospital, and file action taken report.

HUDA had provided plots at subsidized rates to Medanta in Sector 38, Fortis in Sector 44 and Artemis in Sector 51 of Gurugram on a condition that they would provide free or subsidised treatment to poor patients, as per the policy guidelines.

The policy guidelines regarding land allotment to private hospitals mandate them to provide free treatment to poor patients equal to 10 per cent of total number and 70 per cent discount to 20 per cent of indoor patients and free treatment to 20 per cent of patients in OPD.

“Once, we receive replies from these hospitals, we will place them before the monitoring committee constituted under the policy for further action,” said Kalia.