Karnataka government permits private medical establishments to set up Covid Care Centres in hotels

Fast running out of places and aimed at creating creating additional spaces to accommodate the asymptomatic Covid-19 patients in Bengaluru, the state government on Thursday reached out to private medical establishments and invited them to set up Covid Care Centres (CCCs) in the city in collaboration with hotels and staying facilities.

In a fresh circular on Thrusday, the health and family welfare department permitted the private medical establishments registered under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act to set up and manage CCCs for Covid-19 persons in collaboration with hotels. Fixing a price cap on such facilities, the government said that the facilities would cost Rs 8,000 per day at budget hotels followed by 3 star hotels for Rs 10,000 per day and 5-star hotels for Rs 12,000 per day.

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Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare Department said, “There is no separate registration or permission for such hotels but they shall duly inform the Chief Health Officer at BBMP level and District Health Officer at Districts level through a letter or e-mail. The arrangements will be the joint responsibility of both the private establishment and hotels.”

The commissioner further added, “Patients with no symptoms or mild symptoms can be kept under optimum medical observation and care till their recovery. Such an arrangement will improve availability of beds in hospitals for the severely affected.”

The private CCCs must have all the facilities and ensure availability of medical staff and tele-monitoring as per guidelines, health monitoring of covid patients, treatment protocol, availability of medical supplies, adequate training of CCC staff on infection and prevention protocols, appropriate diet and ancillary facilities, disposal of biomedical waste as per the rules and follow discharge protocols.

The facilities must have 24X7 ambulances at the premises to shift patients as and when necessary. Further, the government has recommended three-tier approach to such facilities including hotel staff like chefs, back office, admins staying away from the Covid positive persons, food delivery persons to serve the patients in room under supervision and care and medical staff to monitor health conditions of patients thrice daily and shall available round the clock at the premises.