Mandya: Pvt hospitals hesitate to admit Covid patients

The district continues to report a spike in Covid cases and the number of active cases has reached 1,500-mark. The district and taluk hospitals and the Covid Care Centres are filled with Covid patients. But, the private hospitals here have not made any preparations to admit the Covid cases.

As per the government's directive, all private hospitals and nursing homes should reserve 50% of the beds for the Covid patients. The patients referred by the district hospitals should be admitted and treated at the private hospitals, at the rate fixed by the government.

As the cases are increasing, the people are fearing to get tested and admitted to the district hospital, out of fear of contracting the disease. They are ready to pay the rate fixed by the government to the private hospital. But, no private hospital or nursing home in the city is conducting the tests, violating the norms. Instead, they suggest the caller to go to the district hospital.

Except Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, no other private hospital is conducting swab tests on the suspected patients. As directed by the district administration the Sanjo Hospital in the city has agreed to reserve the beds, but has not admitted a single patient so far.

Shivakumar, a resident of Vidyanagar said, "People fear to go to the district hospital for getting tested, with the fear of contracting the disease. Though the people are ready to get the tests done at the private hospitals, they are not ready. The hospitals behave as though they are not concerned over this."

Except holding a couple of meetings with the private medical establishments on reserving beds for Covid patients, the district administration has not issued any strict orders, it is alleged.

A doctor said, "The private hospitals fear that the people suffering from other health problems may not come if they admit Covid patients. Hence, they are hesitating to oblige."

District Health Officer Dr H P Manchegowda said, "Sanjo Hospital is making all preparations to get the patients admitted if the number of cases surge further. The private hospitals have been already instructed about this."