CHATTOGRAM, Dec 05: The Imperial Hospital Limited, a 375-bedded multidisciplinary specialised general hospital in the port city Chattogram which started its activities from June 15 in 2019 is currently continuing its activities illegally by changing its name to "Apollo Imperial" without permission of the health department and other concerned authorities.
The District Civil Surgeon of Chattogram has issued a stern condemnation against the Imperial Hospital of Chattogram for unauthorised changes in its name, now operating as "Apollo Imperial." The hospital has been accused of violating the terms of its licence, sparking concerns about potential misinformation and fraudulent activities.
District Civil Surgeon Dr. Mohammad Ilias Chowdhury, in a notice issued on December 3 last, expressed concern over the misleading change of name, terming it illegal and a breach of licence conditions. The notice emphasized the sensitivity of medical care, stating that all activities, including billboards, signboards, advertisements, official pads, and correspondence, must adhere strictly to the licensed name.
The Department of Health has ordered the immediate cessation of all unauthorized activities, such as billboards, signboards, advertisements, official pads, and letters bearing the name "Apollo Imperial."
Imperial Hospital has been given a deadline of 10 days to rectify all discrepancies and comply with the original licensing conditions.
The controversy came to light after a service recipient filed a complaint, alleging that the hospital was operating under a name reminiscent of a facility in India. The District Civil Surgeon highlighted the necessity for transparency, stating that any changes in the hospital's name should be duly reported to the relevant authorities.
This development follows a November 30 legal notice filing by the hospital's medical coordinator Dr. Arif Uddin Ahmed against the hospital management where the issue of the name change in violation of rules was initially raised.
Nafid Nabi, Managing Director of Apollo Imperial Hospital, said to The Financial Express that the authority of the hospital would answer the notice of the Civil Surgeon and Health Department soon.
"We will face the problem legally and we may regularise the dispute that was mentioned by the Civil Surgeon and Health Department," he said
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