The world has been going through its worst health crisis in decades, with the coronavirus pandemic showing no signs of slowing down. But even as positive cases continue to pour in from all parts of the world, according to a recent report from Uttar Pradesh, corruption doesnt seem to have taken a backseat.
In a new video that has surfaced allegedly from a Meerut hospital, staff are seen promising to procure fake Covid-19 negative tests for clients, in exchange for money.
In the clip, doing the rounds of social media, a group of people are seen requesting fake Covid-19 negative certificates from the hospital administration, so they dont face any problems for at least a week.
The clients then go on to hand over ?2,000 to a member of the hospital staff, and promise to pay the remaining ?500 when the tests arrive.
A day after the video went viral on timelines, an investigation was ordered into the incident and a case was filed against the hospitals owners, reports said.
The Meerut hospitals licence has also been suspended by the district magistrate. We have suspended the licence of the nursing home. We have sealed it also. Strict action will be taken against anybody who will do something like this in this time of crisis, the district magistrate was quoted as saying.
The implications of the Meerut hospital scam, the Chief Medical Officer of the district has said, are grim, considering cases have been on the rise in the last few days.
Now, armed with such a fake report anyone can go for an operation at any hospital and if he or she happens to be Covid positive, the outcome will be explosive, the CMO, Rajkumar Saini said, according to a report in The Indian Express.
While no arrests have been made in the case yet, the video from the Meerut hospital will no doubt act as another reminder that Covid-19 is just one of the many viruses plaguing our nation.
This article was first published in Arre