Minister for Large and Medium Industries and district in-charge Jagadish Shettar has appealed to medical professionals not to misuse the helplessness of COVID-19 positive patients and their family members by exerting pressure on them to pay more than the treatment cost fixed by the government.
Chairing a meeting of management boards of private hospitals and nodal officers appointed to coordinate with private hospitals in Dharwad on Friday, Mr. Shettar said that with a surge in COVID-19 cases several patients were finding it difficult to pay treatment fees in private hospitals and he would appeal to medical professionals to cooperate with the government in breaking the chain of transmission and also in the treatment of the patients.
Mr. Shettar said that at this point of crisis, medical professionals should extend help to the poor and the needy. Only when private hospitals join hands with the government, such challenges could be overcome, he said and added that the government would provide police security to hospitals if they required it.
Emphasising that earmarking 50% of beds for COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals registered under KPME Act was mandatory, the Minister said that it was mandatory to reserve 50% beds in ICU and beds with ventilator too. “Many hospitals have responded positively to the government’s decision and accordingly, have taken steps. However, some hospitals are refusing to admit COVID-19 patients and delaying the process. Already, appeals have been made seeking cooperation and if the response is not at the expected level, then the district administration will take legal action,” he said.
Mr. Shettar said that if any hospital declined to treat COVID-19 patients referred by the administration citing lack of bed or ICU facility without being the actual case, then cases would be filed against such hospitals under the Disaster Management Act.
The Minister said that the district administration has set up a 24 x 7 helpline (08047168111) to attend to queries regarding availability of beds and treatment and the procedure involved.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi said that at a time when the country was fighting the pandemic, medical professionals should not think on the lines of profit and loss but serve society on humanitarian grounds by extending cooperation.
On complaints about fleecing by private hospitals, he said that such hospitals should wake up before government took action. He clarified that there was no shortage of oxygen in the district and in such eventuality, necessary assistance would be procured from the Centre.
Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil said that all orders from the government regarding 50% beds had been communicated to the hospitals and in case of complaints and non-cooperation, cases would be filed against them under Section 188 of IPC and provisions of Disaster Management Act 2005.
ZP CEO Susheela B., Police Commissioner Labhu Ram, Superintendent of Police P. Krishnakant, Municipal Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde, Nodal Officer for COVID-19 beds Deepika Bajpai and senior officials of the Health Department and others were present.
