Cuttack: Authorities of Sriram Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) here have recommended for an audit by the Health department to unearth financial irregularities by a private entity, engaged to collect users’ fee at the heath institute.
The hospital authorities recently wrote to the Health department to carry out the audit.
An internal audit of the hospital had found that the private entity has misappropriated users’ fee to the tune of several lakhs of rupees. Taking the issue seriously, SCBMCH authorities had served a notice on the entity.
Subsequently, the private entity had refunded around Rs 3 lakh to the hospital account. “We suspect that the firm has misappropriated huge sum collected as users’ fee. An audit by the Health department can trace details of misappropriation. We will take action against the firm on the basis of the audit report,” said SCBMCH administrative officer Kalpataru Behera.
According to sources, the firm had forged the records at the hospital. “When a patient deposited Rs 1,500 as users’ fee, the firm made an entry of Rs 150 only in its account book,” said an employee of the hospital on conditions of anonymity.
It is learnt that a former official of SCBMCH was instrumental in appointing the private entity to collect users’ fee. He had also made all arrangements to renew the firm’s contract before his transfer from the hospital, said a source.
Notably, some social activists lodged a complaint against the private firm at the Vigilance department around six months ago and sought a probe with regard to the misappropriation of users’ fee. However, the Vigilance department is yet to conduct any probe on the issue.
Cuttack division Vigilance superintendent of police SP Sashi Bhusan Mishra said they had sought all files with regard to the firm from SCBMCH authorities. “After we go through the files, we would be able to say anything,” he added.