Delhi Govt Registers FIR Against Private Hospital For 'Violating' COVID-19 Norms

An FIR has been lodged against the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) for allegedly violating COVID-19 regulation norms, after the Delhi government registered a complaint in this connection.

According to the FIR, the complainant is a senior official of the Delhi health department.

There was no immediate reaction from the authorities of the SGRH, a leading private hospital with 675 beds. It was on June 3 declared a COVID-19 facility by the city government and told to dedicate 80 per cent beds for COVID-19 patients.

The FIR has been filed against the medical superintendent of SGRH under the section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC for allegedly violating directions issued under Epidemic Disease COVID-19, Regulation 2020.

According to the complaint, the hospital was allegedly not using RT-PCR app while collecting COVID-19 samples. As per the guidelines, it is “mandatory” for labs to collect samples through RT-PCR app, it said.

The official has alleged that the "violation" on part of the hospital is in adhering to COVID-19 regulation norms, as specified under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.

The FIR said, "The CDMO cum mission director central has mentioned that Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is still not using RT-PCR app even till June 3, which is a clear violation of directions issued under Epidemic Disease Covid-19 Regulation 2020 Act".

Later, the hospital released a statement saying, "Calling SGRH Blackmarketeer is not a way to treat an institution which has provided great humanitarian services over last many decades. There must be some misunderstandings, the government should look into it in detail to resolve and clarify this on priority."

The hospital appealed to the Delhi government to work together to overcome the pandemic. "Finding faults will not help, let’s work with maturity and patience to fight this disease together," it said.

Delhi recorded 1,330 fresh coronavirus cases on Friday taking the COVID-19 tally in the city to over 26,000-mark, and the death toll due to the disease jumped to 708, authorities said.

The highest spike in fresh cases -- 1513-- was recorded on June 3.

A total of 2,41,693 COVID-19 tests have been conducted till date, the Delhi health department said in its bulletin on Friday.

Seeking to streamline the testing process, the Union Health Ministry had launched a dedicated RT-PCR mobile-based app for labs to fill the data at the point of sample collection.

Following the directives, Delhi government had made it mandatory for all lab collection and testing centres to download the app.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a virtual press conference on Saturday said, action has been taken against six of the 42 testing labs in the city for "violating ICMR norms".

(With PTI inputs)