In a significant move to protect interests of patients and their families, Jabalpur District Hospital administration has officially abolished ‘Gate Pass’ system. The decision comes following widespread complaints regarding financial irregularities and illegal extortion at the facility. The system, which was operated by a private contractor (M/s Mohammad Farooq Ahmed), required relatives of admitted patients to pay a fee of Rs 5 per person. However, the CM Helpline and local media were flooded with reports of overcharging and harassment.

 

Volunteers and general public had voiced concerns that the system was becoming a burden on poor and disrupting hospital operations. Civil Surgeon and Chief Hospital Superintendent Dr Naveen Kothari noted that no such gate pass system exists at other major Government facilities like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College or Rani Durga Hospital. Due to expiration of the contract for 2025-26 fiscal year and gravity of complaints, the system has been terminated with immediate effect until further notice. The contractor has been directed to clear all dues and obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) branch. The move is expected to streamline hospital entry and ensure that healthcare remains accessible and free of unauthorised costs for citizens of Jabalpur.