Chandigarh: There was a significant breach in the Ayushman Bharat scheme at the PGI. Insiders at PGI revealed that bills totalling lakhs of rupees, earmarked for Ayushman beneficiaries, vanished from the central stores, raising alarm bells about potential financial misappropriation. The scale of the alleged tampering is extensive, with reports indicating that over 100 files linked to the Ayushman scam were pilfered. The PGI administration filed a police complaint, and CCTV footage is currently under scrutiny as investigations intensify.
While the PGI administration acknowledged the misplacement of verified bills from Ayushman, Himcare, and JSSK schemes, they maintain that a comprehensive list of these bills is available in the central cell. Efforts are underway to procure duplicate bills from AMRIT stores and copies of corresponding indents from the wards.
The security wing is examining CCTV footage to identify potential culprits, according to the PGI administration. The scam ignited concerns about PGI’s internal processes, particularly within the private fund cell, which is intended for patient welfare. Allegations have surfaced that this cell’s staff engaged in corruption for several years. “The staff members remained stationed in this sensitive post for extended periods, ignoring the Central Vigilance Commission guidelines that mandate staff transfers every three years,” said an official in the PGI. He said, “The prolonged tenure of staff in such sensitive positions raises serious questions about oversight and accountability.”An unauthorized individual was apprehended on Feb 18 by the PGI and subsequently handed over to local police authorities for further investigation. He was found to have stolen indent books. He had counterfeit stamps of doctors and other authorised officials to divert medications intended for patients enrolled in the Ayushman Bharat cashless schemes.
INSET: The Ayushman Bharat scheme is designed to provide eligible families with free medical treatment and medications up to Rs 5 lakh annually. For medicines exceeding ₹2,000, patients require a doctor’s prescription documented in an indent book, which must be verified with stamps from the doctor, nursing officer, Ayushman counter, and dispensary.
To date, three persons were arrested, including a staff member from the PGI.
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