Gaya: Concerned over the growing menace of touts and unauthorised ambulance operators inside Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH), hospital authorities have sought stronger police and administrative support to curb the practice.“Stronger police deployment and administrative support are needed to curb the menace. Senior police officials have been apprised of the situation,” said Dr Anand Prakash Anand, hospital superintendent.His remarks came amid a recent police inquiry that confirmed the illegal activities and estimated that 40-50 unauthorised ambulances operate from within the hospital premises. Documents accessed by TOI show a police team investigated allegations against touts and unauthorised ambulance operators functioning from the hospital premises and found them to be true.In a report submitted to the DGP, the police confirmed that the activities of touts and unauthorised ambulance operators were increasing by the day. The report estimated that 40-50 unauthorised ambulances were operating from within the hospital campus. It also identified an alleged unauthorised ambulance operator who owns at least eight ambulances. His cellphone number was included in the report.Hospital insiders said dozens of touts and unauthorised ambulance operators continue to operate inside the medical college and hospital, with the emergency ward emerging as their primary hunting ground.A section of hospital employees is allegedly hand in glove with the touts, who approach attendants soon after they arrive on the premises. The attendants are allegedly fed misinformation about the hospital, its doctors, facilities and quality of treatment to persuade them to shift patients to private hospitals and nursing homes in Gaya and Patna.“This is not the right place for treatment. There are no facilities here. Only poor people who cannot afford treatment come to this hospital. If you do not want to spend money, that is a different matter,” is a commonly used pitch employed by the touts, according to sources.After creating doubts about treatment at the govt hospital, the touts allegedly offer alternatives at private healthcare facilities and arrange ambulances for the immediate transfer of patients. People familiar with the modus operandi claimed that some hospital staff facilitate such transfers. Some of the private facilities are allegedly run or patronised by doctors associated with the hospital.Earlier, an associate professor in the medicine department was removed from hospital duty over allegations of patient poaching.Although the hospital has its own fleet of ambulances, dozens of privately operated vehicles, many allegedly functioning without authorisation, can be seen parked inside the campus. According to sources, these are the ambulances most frequently used by the touts.Former hospital advisory committee member Md Moosa said strong administrative will was needed to dismantle the network of touts and unauthorised ambulance operators operating from the hospital premises.
