The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur, has launched a crackdown on unauthorised agents of private diagnostic laboratories who are allegedly approaching patients and their families inside the hospital and convincing them to undergo medical tests at private facilities.
To curb the practice, the hospital administration has begun lodging police complaints against such agents, resulting in arrests in recent cases. Officials said strict surveillance has also been introduced to prevent middlemen from operating within the hospital premises.
The issue of touts at GMCH has persisted for years. In the past, agents linked to private hospitals were found attempting to persuade patients to shift from the government hospital by promising quicker or better treatment. More recently, complaints have surfaced about private laboratory representatives allegedly diverting patients for diagnostic tests and charging them unnecessarily.
The latest action gained momentum after a video of Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) constable Ankit Pandey, who is deployed for external security at GMCH, circulated widely on social media. In the video, the constable alleged that agents of private pathology laboratories were collecting patient samples from outside the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Pandey also claimed that he had personally helped identify and apprehend two such agents. Following the viral video, the GMCH administration stepped up monitoring and enforcement measures to prevent unauthorised diagnostic service providers from targeting patients on the hospital campus.
Hospital authorities have appealed to patients and their relatives to remain cautious and report any suspicious individuals offering diagnostic services or attempting to divert them to private laboratories.
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