5 Gujarat Hospitals debarred over alleged irregularities

In the wake of the ongoing investigation into Ahmedabad's Khyati Multispecialty Hospital for performing unnecessary angioplasty procedures on several PMJAY beneficiaries, the Gujarat Health Department has debarred five private hospitals and two doctors from participating in the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) due to alleged irregularities.

The Gujarat health ministry on Monday said it has debarred five private hospitals from providing services under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(PMJAY) due to irregularities in the last one week, taking the count of medical facilities de-panelled so far in 2024 to 12.

Following the inspection of these facilities, several fraudulent activities were uncovered, including altered laboratory reports, insufficient infrastructure, and violations of guidelines.

According to the PTI report, two doctors working in these hospitals were also suspended from providing services under PMJAY - a flagship health insurance scheme of the Centre - and one of the de-panelled medical facilities was fined Rs 50 lakh.

The action comes in the backdrop of Ahmedabad-based Khyati Multispecialty Hospital caught performing unnecessary angioplasty procedure on several PMJAY cardholders just to siphon off government money.

The scam, in which the private hospital's management and doctors were involved, came to light after two healthy people died following angioplasty, a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries in heart patients.