The Union Health Ministry has asked the Haryana government to initiate “urgent” probe into allegations that Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) in Gurugram overcharged the family of a deceased seven-year-old dengue patient.
Health Secretary Preeti Sudan, in a letter to the State Health Department Principal Secretary, asked for an action taken report within two weeks. “l request you to urgently initiate an enquiry into the incident,” she wrote.
The Ministry has asked for details of the treatment and the charges levied by the hospital. Ms. Sudan’s letter noted that in case “any overcharging, negligence or malfeasance is made out on the part of the hospital, exemplary action needs to be taken immediately to reassure the general public and to lend credence to the healthcare system.”
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The hospital issued a detailed clarification stating that the “total bill for the 15-day duration of hospitalisation was ₹15,79,322. Of this, ₹5,21,433 was paid by the insurance and the balance by the family.