War against COVID: Flying squads to check overcharging in AP private hospitals

During the review meeting held on the prevailing COVID situation at the camp office here on Monday, the state government issued orders to adopt a three-pronged strategy to ensure better treatment, oxygen, quality food, medicine, water, and sanitation facilities in COVID hospitals.

Under the three pronged strategy, no private hospital shall charge more than the prescribed price.

District Collectors will divide all the hospitals treating COVID patients into clusters. Each cluster will have 5 to 8 hospitals. District Collector will appoint an in-charge for each cluster. The officer will ensure no private hospital will charge more than the prescribed fees. Wherever any complaint is received, the officer will respond quickly and take necessary action. In the same way, the officer will look into the hospitals that treat COVID patients without permission.

The Collector will set up a flying squad at the district level to check overcharging in private hospitals.

The squad will comprise an officer from the Drug Control Division, Vigilance Enforcement Division, and Medical Health Department. The squad will ensure that private hospitals do not overcharge. The squad will assist in making the cluster in-charges work more efficiently. The government has issued orders to create hospital clusters and set up flying squads.