Pvt hosp can't send back COVID-19 patients: Kota Srinivas

Mangaluru: Private hospitals cannot send back COVID-19 patients for any reason, district in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary has said.

He held a meeting on Monday at the Father Mueller Medical College here on the arrangements for COVID-19 patients.

Dakshina Kannada district is quite advanced in the medical field. Hence, the government will not tolerate COVID-19 patients wandering from one hospital to another for treatment. Refusing to admit COVID-19 patients in hospitals is unacceptable, he said.

Already the chief minister has given clear direction to private hospitals on treating COVID-19 patients. Fifty per cent of all beds in all hospitals are ordered to be reserved for COVID-19 patients, he added.

Private hospitals will not be considering the financial viability of patients. Patients with BPL or APL ration card must all be treated at government-sanctioned rates under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The health department will monitor the treatment of all COVID-19 patients in each hospital, Minister Kota Srinivasa Poojary said.

The Minister also instructed the Health Department to look into the issue of lack of ventilators in private hospitals and check for the supply of low-cost ventilators son.

Already, the state government has approved the supply of 25,000 Rapid Antigen Test Kits and 50 ventilators to the Dakshina Kannada district, which will soon be supplied to the district. Separate arrangements have been made to treat non-COVID-19 patients, the minister said.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has directed setting up of COVID Care Centres for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in other taluks of the district, as that will reduce the pressure on hospitals presently treating COVID-19 patients.

Richard Kohillo, director of Father Mueller Medical College, said that all COVID-19 patients in their hospital are treated appropriately. He brought to the notice of the minister’s that all the directions of the government were being followed in full.

Deputy Commissioner Sindhu Rupesh, District Health Officer Dr Ratnakar, Hospital Administrator Rudolph Ravidesa and others were present.