Sleuths of the Vigilance department conducted raids on Thursday in a private hospital of Vizianagaram and another in Srikakulam after receiving complaints about excess fee collection and sale of Remdesivir injection at higher prices.
Vigilance Superintendent of Police Varadarajulu and his team warned the hospitals not to indulge in malpractices and collect fees as prescribed by the government.
According to sources, Remdesivir injection was sold at ₹35,000 although its MRP was around ₹3,800. The hospitals were allegedly collecting around ₹15,000 as bed charges per day and additional charges up to ₹40,000 for providing oxygen and ventilator facility. Each COVID-19 patient was allegedly forced to pay around ₹50,000 per day.
Moreover, the hospitals were not accepting online payments. As they were insisting on cash, patients and their relatives have been moving around banks and ATMs. As the banks work between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., they are unable to withdraw huge amount from banks.
