HYDERABAD: Health Minister K. Rosaiah on Friday directed DGP Swaranjit Sen to expedite action on the complaint lodged by Apollo Hospital, following the recent attack on it by relatives of a road accident victim Y. Mohan Reddy.

The hospital premises was ransacked by Reddy's relatives on March 12 alleging that his death was not revealed for five days and that they had paid lakhs of rupees for treatment following his hospitalisation on February 28. The Minister was responding to a representation submitted by a delegation comprising Sangeeta Reddy, Executive Director and Hariprasad, CEO of the hospital; A.K. Chary of the IMA, AP branch and Ravinder Reddy of AP Nursing Homes Association.

He assured the delegation that he would shortly convene a meeting of political parties to discuss issues like attacks on hospitals and doctors.

The representation pleaded for inclusion of any violence against hospitals/doctors under the list of non-bailable offences and a provision for stringent punishment to those "who indulge, instigate, propagate or publicise such events."

Educative programme

It sought protection to hospitals, particularly in areas where patients prone to infections are nursed, as restricted areas of entry for unauthorised persons. It also suggested an educative programme for the media and others to prevent "propagation of misnomers and facts that are not scientifically true".

Earlier, Ms. Reddy, Mr. Hariprasad and doctors Chary and Ravinder Reddy refuted the charge that the hospital did not reveal the death for five days and that they had paid lakhs for treatment.

They said that Reddy's risk was clearly explained to the attendants and only Rs. 45,000 was paid towards treatment and that Rs.1.5 lakh was outstanding.

The hospital was exploring all legal options to bring to book the attackers and also the instigators.

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