The Kerala High Court has asked the State government why it could not provide free treatment to those above the poverty line for post-COVID complications for 30 days after they tested negative.
The Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath raised the question when a revision petition filed by the private hospital association against the fixing of COVID-19 treatment charges by the government in private hospitals came up for hearing.
The court observed that the treatment during the 30 days after patients turned negative should be reckoned as COVID treatment just as the Centre considered the death of COVID patients occurring 30 days after they turned negative.
When the case was taken up for hearing, S. Kannan, senior government pleader, submitted that fixation of maximum rates for diseases occurring as post-COVID complications would ensure that private hospitals did not charge exorbitant rates from patients above the poverty line. In fact, the Government had taken all steps to ensure that COVID treatment was provided to those both below and above the poverty line in government hospitals free of cost as a stated policy of a welfare state.
