Mysore/Mysuru: With the district facing a shortage of beds for treatment of COVID patients, the District-level Task Force Committee on bed management has warned private hospitals that legal action will be initiated against them if they fail to part with beds as sought by the Government.

The Task force headed by MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev met at the ZP Hall here on Wednesday to discuss the measures that have to be taken against Private Hospitals who charge excessively for COVID treatment and also bed issues.

Addressing the meeting, Rajeev said that there were many complaints that some Private Hospitals were excessively charging patients who are referred by COVID War Room. Stressing on the need to put an end to this, he directed the officials to stop such practices at once. 

Noting that Private Hospitals cannot charge patients who are referred by COVID War Room under Government quota of beds, Rajeev suggested erection of flex boards in front of all hospitals with details of treatment charges and also distribution of pamphlets on treatment cost. He warned that action will be taken against Private Hospitals which issue hefty bills even to patients who are referred by COVID War Room.

Continuing, Rajeev said that though most of the Private Hospitals have parted with 50 percent of their bed capacity to the Government, there are still some Hospitals which are refusing to do so. He warned that teams will pay surprise visits to such hospitals and action will be taken against those who have concealed or given false information to the Government on the number of beds available with them.

D. Devaraj Urs Backward Classes Development Corporation Chairman Raghu Kautilya, who is in-charge of COVID War Rooms, said that a Nodal Officer has been appointed for every Private Hospital and their job is to ensure that Private Hospitals do not charge patients who are referred to by the War Room. He further said that the patients must be asked to contact the Nodal Officer of that hospital where a bed has been allotted to a patient.

MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh said that a few hospitals have not parted with 50                          percent of their beds to the Government despite multiple meetings with them.

Pointing out that there are about 42 hospitals in the city having over 30 beds, he said that the cumulative bed capacity of Private Hospitals is 3,146, out of which the Government should get its quota of 1,459 beds. But there is a shortage of beds as Private Hospitals are refusing to part with the exact number of beds that they are required to give to the Government. This issue needs to be addressed at the earliest as it will help the district administration in ensuring that beds are available on demand. Dr. Natesh also suggested installation of an exclusive software portal which enables COVID War Rooms to directly allot beds.

Additional DC Dr. B.S. Manjunathaswamy said that there was no shortage of medical oxygen and Remdesivir injections in the district. Pointing out that hospitals can send their oxygen requisition online, he said that delivery of Remdesivir injections has been streamlined in order to ensure that there are no lapses.

He further said that private hospitals facing oxygen shortage can get their required supplies through agencies. The functioning of the War Room has been streamlined and every section has been suitably modified, he added.

MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag observed that it is better to get 80 percent recovered COVID patients discharged from the hospital and take care of them at Post-COVID Care Centres. Apprehending that discharged patients may get infected once again if they are sent home directly from hospitals, she said that early discharge of recovered patients will help in allotting beds to critical patients.

Assistant Commissioner N.C. Venkataraju, COVID Ambulance Services Monitoring Committee Convenor L.R. Mahadevaswamy, COVID Dead Last Rites Monitoring Committee Convenor M. Appanna, DCF Dr. K.C. Prashanth Kumar, District Family Welfare Officer Dr. P. Ravi and other officials were present.