The Union Home Ministry on Friday ordered an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the matter of 'sub-standard' medicines in mohalla clinics. This development came within a day after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena made a similar recommendation to investigate the alleged fake pathology and radiology tests at the clinics.
'Mohalla Clinics' is known to be a flagship healthcare project launched by CM Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi.
However, defending the AAP-led government, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that last year several doctors and staffers at mohalla clinics were de-impaneled for wrongdoings and also demanded the sacking of the health secretary over multiple issues.
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About the 'Mohalla Clinic' controversy
According to the officials, in August last year, it was found that some doctors and staff of seven mohalla clinics in southwest, Shahdara and North-East districts resorted to "unethical practice" to fraudulently mark their attendance through pre-recorded videos. These suspected mohalla clinics were located respectively in Jaffar Kalan, Ujwa, Shikarpur, Gopal Nagar, Dhansa, Jagjeet Nagar and Bihari Colony.
It has been reported that patients at these mohalla clinics were provided medical consultation and medicines were disbursed by unauthorised staff in the absence of doctors, thus endangering the lives of the patients.
Several allegations stated that "lakhs of tests" were conducted on "ghost patients" at these clinics to aid private laboratories in the national capital.
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Sources in the L-G's office told earlier that payments were made to private labs under the guise of fake tests, implying an alleged scam "running into hundreds of crores" at the expense of the poor citizens of Delhi.
Saxena gave adverse comments against the successive health ministers and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the file about the matter.
According to officials, "grave" fraudulent practices have been found to be prevalent in the lab tests being carried out in the name of patients visiting Delhi government hospitals and mohalla clinics with payments being made to private labs.
The Delhi government's Vigilance and Health Departments carried out an investigation to look into the lab investigations that were being outsourced to private diagnostic companies.
