Private hospitals on shaky ground

Gurugram/noida: Concerned residents through various public platforms have urged the Haryana government to regulate the exorbitant amounts levied by the private hospitals. The starting price of the occupancy of beds start with minimum Rs 12,000 and can go further up to Rs 30,000 per day. Charges of doctor per visit start from Rs 1,500 and the prices of medicines are billed separately.

At the outset, the private hospital management demands Rs 2-3 lakhs as security deposit. Charges increase further for those patients who are on ventilators. Most of the private hospitals are also denying the entry of patients. The managements of the private hospitals highlight that they do not have enough facilties to treat the patients. Notices have already been served to two private hospitals that denied treatment to a pregnant COVID-19 lady earlier.

"The amount that is being charged today is beyond the reach of even the upper-middle class. The private hospitals in here are just trying to take advantage of the patients at a time when the entire country is reeling due to the pandemic," said Raghav Arora, a resident of Sushant Lok Phase-1.

The district administration on Thursday appointed senior officers to make sure that the patients do not face hurdles during the medical treatment in the private hospitals.

Meanwhile in Noida, the infected patients are only getting treated at designated Covid hospital which have been managed and acquired by the government and district administration. Fortis, Max, Apollo and Metro hospital in Noida, all the hospitals denied to provide any treatment to Covid positive patients and said that while they have testing facility but in case if any person is found positive, he/she is referred to designated Covid hospital.

While the management of Max hospital in Sector 19 Noida said that the hospital is closed as it falls in the hotspot, the administration has taken over Sharda Hospital in Greater Noida and Kailash Hospital for treatment of Covid patients.