Having prohibited public celebrations, Karnataka will come up with detailed guidelines for celebrating New Year during the pandemic in a day or two, Health Minister K Sudhakar informed the Legislative Council on Monday.
Sudhakar said that the government was ready to tackle a possible second wave of Covid-19.
“We’re taking all measures to prepare for such an event,” he said, adding that restricting New Year celebrations will also be important to curb the spread of the pandemic.
On complaints of overcharging and related issues faced by Covid-19 patients and victims, he said that the grievance cell of Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust had received 122 complaints, adding that directions were issued to initiate action against erring parties.
JD(S) member S L Bhojegowda noted that families of Covid-19 victims were being charged lakhs of rupees by hospitals and there were instances when hospitals had refused to hand over bodies, pending payment. Highlighting the plight of one Padmakshi, a teacher from Moodbidire in Dakshina Kannada district, Bhojegowda said she was charged Rd 6.5 lakh for hospitalisation and treatment.
Sudhakar said cases of overcharging generally pertained to cases where admissions to hospitals were made without the government referral system for Covid-19 patients.
To a question on appointment of doctors and medical staff during the pandemic, Sudhakar said the government was mulling over extending the services of 6,500 contract personnel.
Apart from the contract employees, the government has created 2,155 posts - 1,246 general duty doctors, 88 dental doctors and 824 medical staff - for which appointments will be finalised soon, he said.