Delhi govt reduces ICU bed reservation to 25% for Covid patients in pvt hosps, HC told

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court was informed on Tuesday that the Delhi government has reduced the reservation of COVID-19 ICU beds in

private hospitals here to 25 per cent, from 40 per cent earlier.

Justice Navin Chawla listed the matter for further hearing on February 2, after the counsel for petitioner Association of Healthcare Providers said he is waiting for instructions from member hospitals on this development and sought some time.

The organisation has sought quashing of the government's September 12, 2020 order to reserve 80 per cent ICU beds for COVID-19 patients in 33 private hospitals which are its members.

The reservation percentage has been gradually reduced by the government after reviewing the pandemic situation. With the COVID-19 infection number reaching at its peak of over 8,000 in a day in November, 2020 in Delhi, the numbers are now declining and 161 fresh cases were recorded on January 18, 2021.

Advocate Sanyam Khetarpal, representing the petitioner, informed the court that the government has issued an order on January 15 reducing the reservation to 25 percent in hospitals which have over 100 beds.

He said he requires some time to get instructions from the member hospitals on this.

As per the government's order, a review meeting was held by the competent authority on January 15, in which the data with respect to pattern of COVID-19 beds and COVID-19 ICU beds occupancy on that date in 115 private hospitals providing coronavirus treatment was analysed.

Keeping in view the low occupancy of COVID-19 beds/ ICU beds in the private hospitals, it was decided in the review meeting to further lower reservation of the total bed capacity from 30 per cent to 15 per cent, and of ICU beds from 40 per cent to

25 per cent of the total bed capacity in 45 hospitals having more than 100 beds and providing coronavirus related treatment, the government order said. It was also decided in the meeting that other 70 hospitals which have up to 100 beds shall have the option of reserving COVID-19 beds/ ICU beds there.