Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A team from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is inspecting AIIMS, Bhopal, to investigate allegations of inflated rates for medicines and diagnostic tests.
Under the lens are the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacy and tests by HLL Lifecare Limited. The MoU between AIIMS, Bhopal, and HLL Lifecare has been suspended.
In its April 30 edition this year, the Free Press Journal had highlighted how AIIMS Bhopal overcharged patients by Rs 1.30 crore in a year for various tests. This allegedly occurred because HLL Life Care Limited charged higher rates than those fixed by the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
Confirming the visit of the MoHFW inspection team, AIIMS director Dr Ajai Singh said the action followed a complaint by Bhopal MP Alok Sharma.
On his part, MP Sharma said to Free Press, “Cancer medicines cost may vary nominally from state to state, but it can’t be four times more. If a cancer medicine costs ₹400 in Delhi, it costs ₹300 in Chhattisgarh and Rs 500 in Uttarakhand, and at AIIMS, Bhopal, it costs ₹2,100. So, it is not justified. For the last four to five years, no tender has been floated for medicines and tests in AIIMS. I raised the issue in the meeting of the finance committee of the ministry in New Delhi on the basis of documents. Officials of AIIMS, AMRIT Pharmacy, and HLL are hand in glove. It is good that the MoHFW team has come for the inspection.”
