July 10th 2024.
Rourkela Government Hospital has recently been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Under the leadership of the current director, shocking incidents of fraud and irregularities have been uncovered at this government-run facility. The director, who took charge 18 months ago, has been determined to bring these issues to light and ensure accountability.
One of the first red flags was raised when allegations of irregularities in the cleaning contract surfaced. The director immediately formed a probe team to investigate the matter and they are scheduled to visit the hospital on Wednesday. It was discovered that Mediaid Medical Ancillary (MMA), a Bhubaneswar-based agency, had been awarded the cleaning contract for a period of five years. The agency boasted about their "excellent service" and was entitled to an annual enhancement of 10% as per the agreement.
Upon further investigation, it was revealed that MMA had submitted a bill of Rs 20,39,789 for their services. The hospital manager, Mohit Kumar, had approved this amount and the money was transferred to the agency's account. However, it was later discovered that the then-director had written a letter to MMA, asking them to return the amount as it was falsely claimed for providing "excellent service." This raised suspicion and questions about who had certified MMA's services as excellent and on what basis.
Shortly after this incident, the former director was transferred and Ganesh Das took charge as the new director. He immediately initiated an internal investigation and also brought the matter to the attention of the Health department of Odisha. The Health secretary, Bijay Mohapatra, wrote a letter to the National Health Mission (NHM) to investigate the case. A three-member team was formed by NHM and they will be visiting the hospital on Wednesday to conduct their investigation.
In addition to the cleaning contract issue, the director also uncovered another alarming incident. Four freezers, used for preserving bodies, were found to be missing from the hospital. An FIR was lodged at the local police station and the role of the hospital manager, Mohit Kumar, is under suspicion. The director stated that Kumar initially gave confusing answers when questioned about the missing freezers but later admitted to giving them to an agency in Mumbai. It was also discovered that the agency, Ram Dev Enterprises, had taken away the old freezers when they supplied new ones.
In the midst of all this chaos, it has been reported that the manager has obtained an anticipatory bail from the High Court. The director is determined to get to the bottom of these incidents and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. As he stated, "We cannot let such fraudulent activities go unpunished. The well-being of our patients is our top priority and we will take all necessary steps to ensure their safety and trust in our hospital."
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