Maharashtra caps mucormycosis treatment rates at private hospitals

As the post-Covid-19 cases of mucormycosis or Black Fungus crossed the 5,000-mark, the Maharashtra government on Friday capped the price of treatment of the fungal infection.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has approved a proposal by the Health Ministry fixing the charges to be levied by all private hospitals, till 31 July.

The moves comes a fortnight after it decided to provide free treatment, including medicines, beds for mucormycosis patients under the Mahatma Jyotiba Jan Arogya Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, at 130 pre-determined hospitals besides empanelling another 1,000 hospitals.

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“We have submitted a proposal to control the rates charged by them for treatment,” said Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Rajesh Tope.

The new treatment cost limits vary as per separate ward, ICU with or without a ventilator, isolation wards, etc, for the full medical management, surgeries and the long stay in hospitals, making it within the reach of the ordinary patients.

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The government has also fixed the cost for 28 types of surgical procedures required for mucormycosis treatment which will be up to Rs.100,000, Rs 75,000 and Rs.60,000 in the three categorized cities respectively. No hospitals can charge higher than the prescribed rates.