THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the state government to look into the demand for refund of Rs 1,43,000 illegally collected from a patient referred to a private hospital from Covid Cell and take immediate action. Justice Antony Dominic, chairman of the commission, issued the order to the State Health Authority, the Disaster Management Authority and the District Medical Officer.

The Thiruvananthapuram District Disaster Management Authority CEO has informed the Commission that the condition is that empaneled hospitals should not charge for the treatment of a patient referred by the district collectorate. However, the Pothencode Susrutha Hospital, which treated the patient, said it cannot repay the Rs 1,43,000 charged for the six-day treatment. Bhuvanendran, the father of the complainant BH Anand from Vattiyoorkavu Mannarakkonam was treated for 6 days from 12 May 2021.

The hospital authorities said that they had applied for empanelment of the hospital on May 14 and received the empanelment only on May 21. The District Medical Officer informed the Commission that the position of the hospital was that it cannot provide free treatment to the patient who was admitted as per the government instructions before being empaneled. The hospital's explanation is being examined by the State Health Authority, the report said. However, the commission pointed out that the patient was admitted to a private hospital on the instructions of the district collectorate.