Hyderabad,  Cracking the whip on private hospitals for alleged violation of rules and overcharging Covid-19 patients, the Telangana government on Friday cancelled the permission of five hospitals for providing Covid-19 treatment.

While permission of one hospital was revoked for alleged violation of treatment protocols, action against four others was taken for excess billing.

The Health Department also issued show cause notices to 60 other private hospitals for violating government norms.

Director of Public Health and Family Welfare Dr G. Srinivasa Rao revoked the permission of Virnchi Hospitals, Banjara Hills, to provide Covid treatment after it failed to submit an explanation to the show cause notice issued by him regarding medical negligence in treating a Covid-19 patient.

The show cause notice was issued on a complaint by the relatives of Vamsi Krishna, who died while undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at the hospitals. The deceased's relatives alleged medical negligence by the doctors and staff of the hospital in treating the patient by violating the treatment protocols for Covid.

The director said in his orders that no new Covid patient shall be admitted by Virinchi Hospital but no inconvenience should be caused to already admitted patients. They have to be treated as per treatment protocols.

"If it is found that the said hospital is not following these orders, then the government will be compelled to cancel the license issued to the hospital," reads the order.

The latest development came a day after police arrested 16 family members of Vamsi Krishna on the allegations of ransacking the hospital and attacking doctors. The police made the arrests on a complaint by the hospital.

The deceased's family alleged he died after over usage of steroids and anti-depressants. He was admitted to hospital on May 7 but succumbed on May 22.

The Telangana chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday condemned the assault of Dr Dilip Gude of Virinchi Hospitals and ransacking of the hospital premises.

IMA state unit President Dr D. Lava Kumar Reddy and Secretary Dr B. Narender Reddy condemned the vandalism and physical assault on doctors and supporting staff of Virinchi Hospitals by a mob of 16 people.

Meanwhile, the government revoked permission of four other private hospitals for overcharging Covid patients.

Permission to Vinn Hospitals, TX Hospitals, Max Health Hospitals, and Neelima Hospital to treat Covid patients has been cancelled. The action was taken against these hospitals for overcharging the patients in violation of the Government Order (GO), which fixed the maximum rates chargeable by private hospitals provided by them for Covid-19 treatment.