Bhubaneswar: Over 30 persons have been arrested during a special drive against middlemen or dalals operating in different hospitals, medical colleges, blood banks, dispensaries, etc. across Odisha.
In pursuance of the direction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to weed out such middlemen or dalals illegally operating in the State, Odisha DGP BK Sharma had directed Superintendents of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police to launch the drive.
They had been directed that specific cases should be registered and middlemen or dalals cheating patients promptly arrested on the basis of evidence.
In view of this four middlemen have been arrested from Bhubaneswar, five from Sambalpur, five from Bolangir, four from Bhadrak, three from Mayurbhanj, four from Rourkela, three from Balasore and two from Nabarangpur.
Investigation of these cases shall focus on establishing linkages of middle men with others including owners of nursing homes, diagnostic centres, health officials etc., so that appropriate legal action can be taken against them.
The DGP has further directed that the drive against middlemen or dalals shall continue on a daily basis under the direct supervision of Superintendents of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police. They have been directed to submit Situation Report (SITREP) on a daily basis regarding action taken in different districts.
It is worthwhile to mention that the Commissionerate police had arrested four middlemen from Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar yesterday. Similarly, five middlemen were arrested on Thursday at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla and five more at district headquarters hospital in Balangir.
It is worthwhile to mention that the Chief Minister on Wednesday during a video conference with Chief District Medical Officers of 30 districts of Odisha had asserted that the entire infrastructure, budget and medical colleges are for the people and by the people’s money. All these institutions exist from the citizen’s money for the benefit of the citizen.
He also directed all district Superintendents of Police (SPs) to take tough action against middlemen interfering in healthcare services in Government hospitals across the State.
Under the ‘Mo Sarkar’ initiative, the Chief Minister will speak to common people and take direct feedback from them about the kind of services they are getting in District Headquarters Hospitals (DHHs) and police stations. Other Ministers and officials will also dial the public to take their feedback as part of the initiative that aims to run a people-centric Government and also to ensure good governance.