HYDERABAD: From here on, 50 percent of beds in private hospitals that are meant for treating Covid-19 patients would be kept at the disposal of the State government. An agreement was arrived at on Thursday, after hours of deliberation between Health Minister Eatala Rajender and representatives of private and super-specialty hospitals.
The government’s decision to take over 50 percent of beds comes after its receipt of several written complaints of overcharging. According to officials, these beds will now be filled by the Health Department using an app, which would coordinate patients, hospitals, and departments.
It is learnt that the actual modalities of the same will be chalked out on Friday at the Office of Director of Public Health. It is to be seen whether the same would be taken up under the Arogyasri scheme or not, as was done in states like Maharashtra.
In fact, recent think tank studies by ASCI-FICCI suggested that a voluntary surrender of beds for Covid-19 be permitted by the government, as cases are likely to peak in the ensuing months, in turn increasing the demand for beds.
The Health Minister’s office has further clarified that GO 248 is applicable for the government beds in private hospitals. As per the GO, Covid treatment in the general ward would be charged at `4,000, ICU at `7,500 and ventilator at `9,000. This would imply that though government would take over the beds from private hospitals, the basic cost of the beds would have to be borne by the patients.
HC unhappy with pvt hosps
Earlier on Thursday, the Telangana High Court expressed displeasure over the functioning of various private hospitals with respect to Covid-19 treatment in the State.A division bench of the High Court directed the State government to ensure that the GOs issued by it are duly complied with by private hospitals.
The government is free to take stringent action in accordance with the law against hospitals that fail to follow the GOs prescribing treatment fees for Covid patients, the bench said.
“The State government should continue to act upon the complaints received by it with regard to the functioning, omission and commission of private hospitals. Though there is a 99 per cent perfection in dealing with the said menace by the government, there is a need for more steps to curb such issues,” the bench said.