Medical waste scam worth lakhs surfaces at JP Hospital

 

 

 

 

A major financial irregularity involving the siphoning of public funds has surfaced at the State capital’s model JP Hospital. Allegations have emerged regarding a deep-seated nexus between hospital administration and India Waste Management Pvt. Ltd., resulting in an excess payment of approximately Rs 16.42 lakh over the last three years for bio-medical waste disposal. The discrepancy lies in the billing for 150 beds that were officially shifted to Katju Hospital in 2023. Despite the relocation, JP Hospital continued to clear bills for its original 400-bed capacity instead of the revised 250-bed strength. CMHO Manish Sharma, acknowledging the gravity of the matter, has instituted a high-level inquiry. Daily leakage of Rs 1,500 Following the operationalisation of Katju Hospital in 2023, JP Hospital’s bed capacity was reduced to 250. As per regulations, the contract for medical waste disposal should have been amended to reflect this decrease. However, the private firm continued to receive payments at a rate of Rs 10 per bed per day for the non-existent 150 beds.

 

This resulted in a daily loss of Rs 1,500 to the state exchequer, accumulating to over Rs 16 lakh over a three-year period. Collusion or gross negligence? The scandal raises serious questions about oversight, as four senior officials held office during this period without red-flagging the suspicious payments. The tenure of former Superintendent Rakesh Srivastava, current Superintendent Sanjay Jain, former CMHO Prabhakar Tiwari, and current CMHO Manish Sharma are now under scrutiny. Investigations suggest a ‘double benefit’ scheme where the contractor was allegedly paid for the same beds by both JP and Katju hospitals. Echoes of previous

 

CT-Scan fraud This is not the first financial controversy to hit JP Hospital. The facility previously witnessed a fraud in its PPP-mode CT Scan center, where a firm billed for 720 scans against 240 actually prescribed by doctors. Strict action promised “The matter has been brought to my notice and a thorough investigation is underway. The details of the concerned company have been retrieved, and we will ensure strict action against anyone found guilty of this misconduct,” stated CMHO Manish Sharma.