VIJAYAWADA: The rapid rise in Covid-19 cases has turned the attention of the health wing onto fees collected by hospitals and diagnostic centres.
An official of the rank of joint collector, along with district health and medical officers, is continuously monitoring the rates for Covid-19 treatment at corporate hospitals and nursing homes.
While hospitalisation rates may be low than the second wave, some hospitals in Vijayawada, Guntur, Rajahmundry, Eluru and Visakhapatnam are charging high fees and bed charges for Covid-19 treatment. Joint collector (welfare) L Siva Shankar has directed the health wing to conduct a row of inspections in corporate hospitals in Vijayawada after he received complaints on the fee structure.
District medical and health officer (DM&HO) Dr Suhasini and deputy DM&HOs have begun inspections at hospitals to ensure display boards of rates fixed by the government for various services are in place.
The health wing is also focusing on allocation of beds to patients with YSR Aarogyasri cards. A special 24x7 cell has been arranged to receive complaints from patients. Meanwhile, drug authorities are monitoring the supply of Remdesivir injections and their black marketing. “Remdesivir vials are being directly supplied to hospitals and there is no shortage. Patients can complain to us if any hospital demands fees higher than the prescribed rates,” said Siva Shankar.
Meanwhile, serpentine queues could be seen outside private Covid-19 testing laboratories at Tikkle Road, Nakkala Road and Suryaraopet. Officials are imposing penalties on laboratories found performing Covid-19 tests without a valid licence.
