Fifty per cent beds in private hospitals will be brought under the control of State government if all COVID beds in government hospitals are filled, said Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao. On August 13, Health Minister Eatala Rajender stated that managements of private or corporate hospitals have offered 50% of their bed capacity to the government.
However, managements of the corporate hospitals said that the terms for offering the beds were yet to the discussed. Dr Rao said around two meetings were held with them thereafter and some changes in proposals were suggested.
Answering a question during a press conference held at his office in State Health Campus, Koti, on Tuesday afternoon, he said that 50% beds will be taken over during unforeseen situations.
“When all beds in our (government) hospitals are filled, we will create a system to admit patients in private hospitals,” he said.
Asked about the cost of treatment for those 50% beds, Dr. Srinivasa Rao said that free treatment is provided only at government hospitals where high-end treatment is provided, senior doctors, technicians and nurses are available. He asked people to get admitted to government hospitals and not to spend huge amounts of money for COVID treatment.
More ventilators
Director of Medical Education K. Ramesh Reddy said while 100% oxygen beds are available at some government hospitals, the same extent of facilities are not available in private hospitals. “We have over 1,300 ventilators. Such infrastructure is not available at all the private hospitals put together,” he said.
