(a) whether PGI, Chandigarh has failed to recover charges worth Rs. 5.17 crore for providing clinical facilities to indoor and outdoor patients and Rs. 2.30 crore for providing various clinical tests to indoor and outdoor patients for research purpose during 1995-98;
(b) if so, the reasons therefore;
(c) whether the Government have fixed any responsibility for this loss;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, the steps taken by the Government to recover the said charges?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (PROF. RITA VERMA)
(a)to(e): Basic and life saving medicines/disposables were being provided to the indoor and outdoor patients by the hospital since its inception in 1962. To augment the hospital receipts, a review was undertaken by the Institute in respect of hospital charges and an order was issued on 24th April, 1995 which inter-alia provided that all medicines and disposables would be provided by the patients themselves. However, in emergency, life saving medicines would be provided by hospital and those would be replaced by the patients. The above order could not be implemented because of following difficulties:
1. Certain life-saving drugs like Inj. Anti Diphtheria Serum, Anti Snake Venom and Narcotic drugs like Inj. Morphine, Tab. Morphine, Inj. Pethidine, Inj. Midazolam which were not available in the market had to be procured and provided by the hospital to the patients.
2. Hospitals are supposed to provide I/V fluid bandages, Gauze, Sticking Plaster and other dressing material including spirit, antiseptic solution, cream, lotion disinfectant etc.
3. A number of patients admitted in emergency were unknown. Most of the cases had met with accidents and were brought by either police or ordinary citizents.
4. In the case of patients who died, replacement could not be asked for although patient might not be poor.
Besides the employees of government of Punjab, Haryana and U.T. Administration posted at Chandigarh were entitled to Free Treatment in the Institute. In addition, employees of the Institute and their dependents were also entitled to the free treatment. Therefore, medicines and disposables were provided to them by the hospital during their treatment at PGI. With this background and keeping in view the functional objectives of the Institute as well as its social responsibility to patients in general, orders issued in April, 1995 were reviewed and held in abeyance.