Ayushman Bharat Irregularities: Six Lucknow Hospitals served notices
Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
Lucknow: A surprise inspection of hospitals empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Lucknow has uncovered widespread irregularities, including inflated patient numbers, officials said. In response, notices have been served to six hospitals for violating norms.
According to the news reports, an inspection at a hospital in Arjunganj found that only one patient was admitted under the scheme, despite the facility claiming nine patients on the portal. At a facility in Gomti Nagar, inspectors found only 40 patients admitted, despite claims of 592, and additionally had inadequate spacing between beds, which had admitted patients for PET scans and chemotherapy under the scheme, but was reportedly performing only PET scans.
Further violations were observed in intensive care units, where duty doctors were absent despite guidelines mandating three doctors on duty. In one hospital, only five beds were available against the ten declared for empanelment, and no full-time doctor or operating theatre technician was present.
Some hospitals were operating under substandard conditions, as one facility functioned from a basement without trained staff to manage the Ayushman portal. Another hospital in Arjunganj had no Ayushman beneficiaries admitted at the time of inspection, only one permanent doctor on duty, an expired biomedical waste certificate, and no fire safety certificate. Another hospital has a capacity of 28 beds, but far more patients are being admitted. The investigation team has issued a notice to the hospital management, demanding clarification on several points, reports Jagran.
Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Archana Verma, CEO of the State Agency for Comprehensive Health and Integrated Services (SACHIS), said notices have been served to six hospitals for violating norms. Verma said that hospitals have been asked to submit detailed replies, and their empanelment may be cancelled if found ineligible. Chief medical officers have been directed to take action according to rules, while divisional teams will conduct further checks to ensure quality standards in empanelled hospitals.
Sachis CEO Archana Verma stated that hospitals that operate contrary to standards will be removed from the panel, reports Jagran. The inspections were conducted jointly by the National Anti-Fraud Unit of the National Health Authority and the State Anti-Fraud Unit to detect misuse of claims and other irregularities under the scheme. On the instructions of the Additional Chief Secretary, divisional-level inspection teams are also visiting hospitals to assess the quality of treatment. According to The Daily, the State Anti-Fraud Team inspected Amrit Hospital, where violations of OT standards were found.
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