RAB raids Regent Hospital over fake Covid-19 reports
The hospital had been issuing fake Covid-19 test reports, charging people for free coronavirus tests and overcharging patients at the healthcare facility
A team of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) Monday arrested eight individuals from Regent Hospital Uttara branch in the capital as they were providing fake coronavirus test reports.
RAB appeared at the hospital's Uttara branch on the afternoon and cordoned Mirpur branch while this report was being filed around 9:00pm.
The elite battalion of police said the drive was conducted upon receiving several complaints that Regent Hospital's Uttara and Mirpur branches were faking Covid-19 certificates, charging people for the free test and taking additional bills from patients who were admitted there with the virus infection.
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"Those who are cheating over treatment of Covid-19 testing will be brought to book at any cost," said RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam on a spot briefing who led the drive.
Regent Hospital was one of the private hospitals which got permission for Covid-19 treatment at the early stage of infection in March.
According to RAB, the hospital got at least 4,200 samples tested from the Institute of Public Health (IPHN) and National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) free of cost, but charged people Tk3,500 for each test.
During the time, RAB Magistrate Sarwoer Alam said the hospital collected samples three times higher than the amount it got tested at the two government facilities.
"The hospital forged Covid-19 test reports for the two third samples it collected," added the magistrate.
On top of that, RAB said the hospital authorities have embezzled nearly Tk3 crore in the name of Covid-19 treatments and testing.
During the raid RAB seized more than 40 fake Covid-19 test reports -- forged with IPH and NIPSOM logos and signatures.
Sarwoer said the hospital IT office next to the hospital building used to make those certificates.
The hospital has given fake negative certificates to many people who might actually be Covid-19 positive. It has also provided positive certificates to many people who were negative for the virus, said Sarwoer.
"We have collected some reports in the last few days in the light of the allegations and we have cross-examined those reports from our two public health organizations," he added.
RAB filed cases against the hospital authorities.
