As stories of the battle to find beds and oxygen continue, the State government has accused private hospitals of giving fewer beds under the government quota in the more severe second wave compared to the first wave. This, even as the government ordered private healthcare facilities to reserve 75% of beds for COVID-19 patients under the government quota.
Health Minister K. Sudhakar, who chaired a meeting with private hospitals here on Monday, said though the pandemic has reached a serious stage now, private hospitals have so far only given around 3,500 beds to the government quota, compared to the 4,500 beds given last year during the peak of the first wave. He added that some hospitals had not given beds even under the 50% quota.
“Experts say this is the beginning of the curve. That’s why today, the Cabinet decided on curbs. Last year, during the peak, 4,500 beds were given for government recommended COVID-19 patients. Unfortunately, this year, despite discussions and the situation, patients are being turned down and private hospitals have given almost 1,000 beds fewer than last year. I agree these are subsidised rates. There may be losses. But the situation is bad,” he said.
Apart from this, panic has set in, and aided by miscommunication, anyone who tests positive is rushing to the hospital, he said.
“Today, we don’t have any other option but to discourage non-COVID elective procedures by two to three months. Only serious and emergency cases need to be taken in,” he added.
Dr. Sudhakar also said though he was yet to discuss this with the Chief Minister, patients being admitted under the 75% quota under SAST “belong to the Karnataka government”.
He also urged the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association (PHANA) to appoint a representative from the association for beds and oxygen as allegations were made that many are not cooperating with the Arogya Mitra.
Stressing on the need for strict implementation of admission and discharge policies, he said: “When all parameters come back to normalcy, even if it just five days, patients can be shifted to COVID Care Centres or step down hospitals, which we had asked large corporate hospitals to set up. As for incentives to hospitals, I’ll discuss it with the CM,” he said.
However, private healthcare representatives, who denied resistance, said unlike last year, the situation was different now as hospitals, since November, when cases began to drop, have been taking in non-COVID-19 patients.
