Dr. Naresh Vermani, president of the Kangra District Private Hospital Doctors Association, has welcomed Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s move to investigate alleged irregularities in the HIM CARE scheme. Speaking to the media, he said that since the government has already ordered an inquiry, it should be completed within a fixed timeframe so that the findings can be made public.
Dr. Vermani criticised the state government for withholding payments owed to private hospitals for nearly 18 months. He noted that despite this long delay, the inquiry has still not concluded. While he agreed that any wrongdoing by a few institutions should be thoroughly examined, he cautioned that ethical hospitals following state norms must not be punished. He added that if the government had found any concrete evidence of fraud, it should have been disclosed, but no such proof has been shared.
Stating that the situation has become alarming, Dr. Vermani warned that many small and mid-sized hospitals in Himachal Pradesh are close to shutting down. Several have been forced to take loans to pay staff salaries and cover operational costs due to the prolonged non-payment. Pending dues under the HIM CARE and Ayushman Bharat schemes now exceed ₹356 crore, he said.
He rejected accusations of inflated billing, pointing out that despite repeated claims by the government, no supporting evidence has been presented. “If fraud was suspected, why did the HIM CARE scheme continue until August 31, 2024? Why wasn’t it stopped back in 2023?” he asked, calling the withholding of genuine payments unfair.
Dr. Vermani also reminded the state that during the Covid-19 pandemic, private hospitals played a crucial role in ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services at a time when most government facilities were functioning at minimal capacity.