8 hospitals de-empanelled from RGHS over alleged irregularities
Jaipur: In a recent crackdown, state authorities have de-empanelled eight hospitals and diagnostic centres from the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) last month over alleged irregularities, officials said on Saturday.
They said the medical and health department is continuously strengthening the scheme and ensuring strict action against hospitals, pharmacy stores and beneficiaries found violating its norms.
According to a recent PTI report, Principal Secretary (Health) Gayatri Rathore said eight hospitals and diagnostic centres were de-empanelled in the past month. In addition, the transaction management system (TMS) of two hospitals has been blocked and their payments withheld, while the TMS of three other hospitals has been suspended for three months.
She said cases of improper treatment and other irregularities by these hospitals had come to light. “Strict action was taken after departmental inquiries and audits confirmed the violations,” Rathore said.
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RGHS Project Officer Nidhi Patel said that, in two cases during the past month, hospitals were directed to refund Rs 2,82,044 that had been wrongly collected in cash from beneficiaries.
She said 11 pharmacies were suspended, while about Rs 8 lakh was recovered from pharmacies in January. Notices have also been issued to recover around Rs 23 lakh from pharmacies, Patel said.
She added that action has been initiated against a beneficiary for allegedly availing benefits improperly, while letters have been sent to the department seeking disciplinary action, including suspension, against two doctors for providing unjustified treatment.
Letters have also been issued for departmental and disciplinary action against five other doctors.
The RGHS provides cashless medical treatment to government employees, pensioners and their dependents across the state.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Union Health Ministry has flagged serious shortcomings in the functioning of blood banks across Rajasthan, raising questions over patient safety and the quality of blood transfusion services in the state. Following inspections, the Centre found multiple lapses, including poor record-keeping, inadequate ELISA testing, and failure to report HIV-positive cases to the State AIDS Control Society.
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