Covid-19 beds idle, free them up: Private hospitals to Karnataka government

Private hospitals have urged Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar to release government quota Covid beds that have been lying vacant in their facilities so that they can be utilised to treat other patients in need.

According to the BBMP’s live Covid bed status, 3,141 beds under the government quota are vacant. Another 1,813 beds are vacant in private medical colleges. Sudhakar has assured the hospitals that a decision will be taken at the taskforce meeting on Friday. He did not respond to calls and messages from DH.

Dr Ravindra Ramaiah from Suguna Hospital and president, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), said, “Fifty to sixty percent government quota beds are vacant in private hospitals. After the initial surge in referrals, it is a trickle now. Our staff are idle because of vacant beds.” At Suguna Hospital, out of 32 government beds, only 14 are occupied.

Dr Prasanna HM from Pristine Hospital said more than 50% of the government quota beds are vacant. “We are not able to admit other patients. We asked the government to either pay 25% of the unoccupied beds or release the beds,” Prasanna said.

“The government had agreed to pay 25% of each bed charge for every day that it remains unused. Each hospital should get 25% of Rs 5,200 per day. For 20 beds, this comes up to about Rs 8 lakh a month. This hasn’t been paid yet,” he added.

However, Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said that no such payment was mentioned in the GO.