Karnataka is a step away from offering treatment facilities for COVID-19 at private hospitals. Following recommendations by an experts-led task force meeting chaired by Health Minister B Sriramulu, the health department pinned hopes on the cabinet to ratify the decisions.
Recommendations include a 33% reduction in the rate proposed by private hospitals for general ward cash patients. The task force has also sought a 40% price reduction in the ward with oxygen and isolation ICU, and 28.57% price reduction in isolation ICU with a ventilator.
Package rates from Maharashtra, Odisha, Kerala, Gujarat, and Telangana were compared and arrived at rates for BPL patients or those covered under Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK). The other category of rates is for patients not covered under AB-ArK.
Dr. CN Manjunath, nodal officer for lab testing in state Covid-19 taskforce told DH, "We arrived at these package rates after comparison with rates in other states. Instead of a 20% reduction in package rates as recommended by a nine-member panel headed by NT Abroo of Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, we sought a price reduction in absolute numbers."
"For non-BPL patients, for general ward, we have recommended Rs. 10,000. For the ward with oxygen support, Rs. 12,000 and for an isolation ICU, it is set for Rs. 15,000, and for an isolation ICU with a ventilator- Rs. 25,000," he added.
Karnataka to purchase Remdesvir
The union health ministry, in its updated clinical management protocol for COVID-19 patients, recently included antiviral drug Remdesivir as part of investigational therapy only for restricted emergency use.
"The Karnataka COVID-19 task force has decided to place an order for 500 vials of Remdesvir injections from Cipla. Each injection costs Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 3,500," Dr. CN Manjunath said.
"The government has decided to administer it to coronavirus patients with pneumonia or other lung issues, or to critically ill patients requiring ventilation which accounts for five percent to 10 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in the state. Each patient will require ten vials for five days," he added.
Among other decisions taken by the government for which circulars are yet to be issued are- seven days of work and quarantine for doctors/nurses as opposed to 14-day work and quarantine cycle, Rs.2,300 for COVID-19 test at private hospitals/labs for walk-in patients if referred by government hospitals, and 50% reservation of beds as opposed to the earlier demand to reserve 20% beds for COVID-19 in private hospitals.
"Under the Epidemic Diseases Act, the government has the power to ask private hospitals to treat patients once it exhausts its capacity irrespective of the beds reserved for COVID-19," he said.