CAG finds irregularities in payment to hospitals in Odisha during Covid-19

Bhubaneswar: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has found certain irregularities in funding to dedicated private Covid care hospitals (DCHs) set up in Odisha during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

In a report tabled at the state assembly on Saturday, the CAG said the Odisha government in April 2020 had issued guidelines for operations of the DCHs, managed by private hospitals.

The CAG examined the related records/ documents of 18 DCHs, located in the districts of Khurda and Cuttack. It was noticed that 51,967 Covid patients had been treated in these 18 DCHs in the first two waves of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Rs 724.50 crore had been incurred for the purpose.

“The audit observed irregularities in passing the bills for payment, without proper check/ verification of documents. Thus, payment of Rs 144.88 crore to the DCHs, without verification of basic documents/ records, was irregular,” the CAG said in its report.

Similarly, the auditor has also found irregularities worth Rs 2.73 crore in supply of PPE kits to 10 private DCHs in Khurda and Cuttack districts and excess payment of Rs 2.85 crore towards diet allowance for doctors and paramedical staff, engaged in the DCHs, It has also identified inadmissible or excess payments of government funds to several private-run DCHs during the pandemic period.

The Health and Family Welfare Department assured (February 2023) to take steps to inquire into the matter to establish the factuality and to take appropriate action, it said.