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Delhi

L-G and CM set to discuss cap on pvt COVID-19 treatment

New Delhi: Now that the Delhi High Court has refused to pass blanket directions to cap private COVID-19 treatment in the Capital, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijal, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during the Delhi Disaster Management Authority meet will now discuss fixing a price ceiling for treatment at private hospitals, drive-through COVID-19 labs, charges by private ambulance services, and reducing prices for COVID-19 tests by private labs.

According to the meeting notice, the discussion will focus on fixing the price ceiling for treatment by private hospitals, as some of them are charging exorbitant prices and seeking huge advances. Recently, several complaints have been on social media leveling serious allegations against private hospitals for overbilling patients for Covid-19 treatment.

Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has said that the Delhi government has asked all private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients to send their rate charts. "We will decide on what to do after observing every hospital," Jain said on Saturday. The Health Minister said that all the hospitals have been directed to share the rates that they are charging for COVID treatments with the Delhi government so that it can take a call on the matter.

Amid rising incidents of Delhiites being charged exorbitant rates by private hospitals, the Delhi High Court said it could not pass general directions on capping prices and would hear a matter if a specific patient approached it with his/her grievance.

Meanwhile, Jain also said that the Delhi government will have to strictly follow guidelines issued by the ICMR with respect to Coronavirus testing in the Capital, as per which only certain categories of patients can be tested.

The Delhi government is working as per the predictions made by experts and all the preparations including arrangements of beds and ventilators required by June 30, will be done by June 20 itself. The preparations required to be done by July 15 will be done by June 30. Stadiums, banquet halls, community halls and schools will be converted into COVID-19 care centres and beds will be arranged there, the Cabinet Minister said in a statement.

Jain said, "The doubling rate of the virus is between 13-14 days and if we see the base right now, there are 37,000 cases in Delhi and in the next 10-15 days, the cases are expected to double. The recovery rate is such that around 97-98 people recover out of 100 people.

"The testing can be opened for all if the ICMR guidelines allow, but then the number of people opting to get tested will increase whether or not they have any symptoms," said the Health Minister. "Delhi is 10-12 days behind the city of Mumbai, and similarly, some cities may be behind Delhi (in terms of testing). The testing rate in UP and Haryana is ten times less than Delhi. Accordingly, if the testing rate is less, the Corona cases will also be ten times less than Delhi," he added.

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