HD Kumaraswamy demands Covid-19 insurance, free treatment in private hospitals for journalists

At a time when a few journalists in Karnataka have tested positive for Covid-19, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy has demanded that the government provides insurance cover for these professionals apart from waiver on tariff for treatment in private hospitals.

In a tweet on Saturday, the JDS) legislature party leader said: "It's just namesake that journalists have been categorised as corona warriors. Working journalists (print and television) have to be brought under Covid insurance. The government should also take immediate measures to provide free treatment in private hospitals for journalists who have tested positive."

While directing private hospitals to reserve 50 percent beds under government quota for Covid treatment, the government has also recently fixed the tariff for treatment in private hospitals from anywhere between Rs 5,200 and Rs 25,000 depending on the category of service and severity of the case. For instance, the rate per day in general ward for patients under Ayushman Bharath-Arogya Karnataka has been fixed at Rs 5,200, while it is Rs 10,000 for ICU with a ventilator for this category of patients. For others, the general ward tariff is at Rs 10,000 while the ICU charges per day will go up to Rs 25,000.

Several, including Kumaraswamy, have been critical of these prices alleging that even the upper middle class will not be able to afford treatment at these prices. The leader has also been actively urging the public to impose a self-regulated lockdown in order to curb the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the state.