Kejriwal govt blames alleged wrongdoing in lab test on health officials

The Arvind Kejriwal government in New Delhi has said that senior officials in the Health Department were responsible for monitoring diagnostic labs and that these officials had been appointed by the centre. The assertion by the Delhi government follows allegations of a scam having emerged in pathology and radiology tests conducted in Delhi's Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinic (AAMC).

In a press conference, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said, "Some doctors had recorded their video and given it to the employees and through that they used to mark their attendance in the app every day. In this case, 26 personnel including seven doctors and staff were fired."

He further said that whether it is a Mohalla clinic or a medicine stores, when someone is giving a wrong phone number, this is the job of the officials to check.

"There are Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Health Secretary. We did not appoint these DGHS and Health Secretary. LG is conducting the investigation. We have given it in writing to remove them. Even the Supreme Court has said this. In small cases, officers immediately lose their jobs. But these officers are not being removed," he added.

The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the procurement and supply of alleged spurious and non-standard drugs in the government hospitals and mohalla clinics, saying that the alleged scam was being undertaken at the behest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Thursday, hit out at the Delhi CM and alleged that the then Health Minister Manish Sisodia and the current, Saurabh Bharadwaj, were aware of the alleged pathology scam.

"It is very regrettable that just 20 days ago, the people of Delhi and the country were shocked by the information about the scam of distribution of fake and substandard medicines in the hospitals of the Delhi government ruled by Arvind Kejriwal. The people of Delhi are ashamed after another pathology test scam worth hundreds of crores by the government's health department has come to light," he said.

Earlier, Delhi LG VK Saxena recommended a CBI enquiry in the alleged 'Fake lab tests' in Aam Aadmi Mohalla clinics. Fake/non-existent mobile numbers were used to mark the entry of patients.

The lab enquiry file said that lab tests were ordered/done in aforesaid 7 AAMCs since Feb. 2023 while the attendance of MOICS were marked through pre-recorded videos.

"In One Lab data, mobile number 9999999999 has entered 3092 times for different patients between July to Sept 2023. Similarly, mobile number 9810467129 and mobile number 9855544543 has entered 185 times and 165 respectively, for different patients Between July to Sept. 2023 which needs to the clarified from Concerned MOICS," the lab ecquiry report said.

Similarly, in another lab data mobile number '0' has entered 11657 times and blank has entered in 8199 times in July to Sept. 2023 for different patients which also needs to the clarified from concerned MOICS, it added.

On the analysis of lab tests being done in Aam Aadmi Mohalla clinics, a letter by the Directorate of Family Welfare said, "Recently it has come to the notice of the Department of Health & Family Welfare that some Doctors/Staff of AAMC posted in Shahdara, North-East & South-West District resorted to unethical practice to mark their attendance fraudulently on 3 tablet module by pre- recorded video, thereby violating the MoU & TOR regarding patient services."

The letter further said that the patients were consulted and medicines were disbursed to them in the absence of the Doctor by the empanelled staff of AAMCs who were not competent and not authorized to do so thereby endangering the lives of he patient.

"All of these staff have violated professional ethics and morality. Also, they were incurring great losses to the Government exchequer without performing any duties and cheating in the performance of their duties," it said.

Action was taken against these staffs and they were de-empanelled.

"A Show Cause Notice was also issued to the concerned SPO (State Programme Officer) and CDMO (Chief District Medical Officer) in charge of that also department recommended to lodge FIR against these doctors. Details of the case and action taken against these Doctors and staff is placed from C/1 to C/25," the letter further said.

The letter further said that it was imperative that a review of Lab Diagnostics services done by these defaulting AAMC Doctors should be done on priority.

"Also you are hereby directed to review the available data of these AAMCs in particular and all AAMCS in general regarding data of Lab Diagnostics/Tests being done in AAMCs," it added.