A group of 26 civil society organisations and public health activists have come down on the government for fixing COVID-19 treatment without consulting public health professionals, patients’ groups, and civil society groups, therefore lacking transparency.
In a joint statement, the groups pointed out that the notification had not provided the specific number of beds that will be made available in each hospital under each category. “This provides leeway for private hospitals to reserve the more expensive and profitable beds, i.e. the ICU beds with and without ventilator support,” the statement said.
The government notification states that 50% of private beds shall be reserved for patients referred by public health authorities, including general ward, high dependency units, ICU beds with and without ventilators categories.
“Also, the rates do not cover the costs of unforeseen complications, surgeries, other co-morbid conditions, and pregnancy. This is highly problematic because patients who are most at risk are those with co-morbidities,” the statement reads. “The bills for patients with co-morbidities are often the highest because of severe manifestations of COVID-19 illness which may require critical care interventions such as oxygen and ventilator support, high-end medicines, and extensive stay in hospitals,” it says.
The groups demanded that a nodal officer be appointed for monitoring the functioning of private hospitals and address grievances. They also demanded that fixed rates be extended to patients covered by private insurance, which is not the case now.
The groups include Naavu Bharathiyaru Karnataka, All India Drug Action Network, Campaign for Dignified and Affordable Healthcare, Drug Action Forum-Karnataka, among others.
