Private hospitals in Rajasthan will give treatment to COVID-19 patients at the rates fixed by the State government and increase the number of beds for admitting serious patients. The State government has issued these directions to the hospitals in view of the winter season when infections are likely to increase.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who reviewed the pandemic situation at a high-level meeting here on Wednesday, has asked the administration and the Medical and Health Department to ensure that patients admitted to private hospitals do not face any inconvenience.
The number of beds in intensive care units and other facilities at both government and private hospitals should be enhanced, he said. Mr. Gehlot also said pulse oximeters would be provided to accredited social health activists across the State to facilitate checking of oxygen level of people.
“Since 27% of deaths due to COVID-19 in Rajasthan have been reported from the rural areas, the people residing in villages should remain alert and follow all health-related protocols,” he said, adding that a team of experts may also study if a modification in medical protocol was required to deal with the changing symptoms of the virus.
‘Sufficient beds’
Medical and Health Secretary Siddharth Mahajan said at the meeting that the death rate of COVID-19 patients in the State was only 0.91%, while a sufficient number of beds were available for patients at the dedicated government health facility in Rajasthan University of Health Sciences Hospital in Jaipur.
