Gujarat HC seeks report on allegations of private hospital committing Remdesivir fraud Procurement

Ahmedabad: While hearing a complaint related to the procurement of remdesivir injections by a private hospital fraudulently in the name of an already transferred patient from the hospital, the Gujarat High Court sought a report from the Devbhoomi-Dwarka district collector on the steps taken in relation to the complaint.   

The incident allegedly took place during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in May last year, reports the Times of India. 

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The bench of Justice V D Nanavati sought a report from the collector and issued a notice to the state government over a petition filed by a person identified as Harunbhai Shaikh. The complainant sought the court's intervention due to the reported inaction of the authorities after the private hospital procured remdesivir injections in the name of his mother, Najmaben, who was, however, had already been transferred to a government hospital.       

The complainant's advocate submitted that Najmaben was admitted to Devbhoomi Multi-Speciality Hospital on May 12, 2021, for covid treatment. However, she was prescribed remdesivir when her health condition worsened following which the hospital procured two injections through a nodal officer. 

The patient was eventually transferred to a government hospital on the evening of May 13. However, the hospital procured another remdesivir injection Najmaben's name on May 14, reports the TOI. 

After that, the patient's son immediately raised the issue with the district collector and requested for action on the alleged fraud. The patient passed away on May 17.

The district collector was also reportedly reminded about the complaint later. Shaikh was also reported to have been called by the police for giving his statement, after which the district panchayat's health department also recorded his statement. However, no action was reportedly taken further.   

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