Reserving 50% beds for government quota Covid-19 patients outside Bengaluru untenable: Private hospitals

With 60,000 beds available with the private sector across the state, an order to reserve 50 per cent beds for government quota Covid patients has peeved the private hospitals in districts other than Bengaluru as they do not have a surge similar to that in the state capital. In the absence of a four-digit rise in cases like the one seen in Bengaluru, they are worried that the beds will remain vacant.

At the peak of the pandemic last year, only 20 per cent to 25 per cent reserved beds were used for government quota Covid patients, and the loss was absorbed by the private hospitals themselves. A private hospitals association is approaching the government in this regard, to ask for some relaxation of the 50 per cent rule.

Dr HM Prasanna, President, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), said, "As per Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, across Karnataka there are 60,000 beds in private hospitals and 50% of it, that is 30,000 should be made available for government quota Covid patients. The government does not require those many beds. It did not use all of them even during the peak of the pandemic last year. The demand is only in a few cities in seven or eight districts of Karnataka."

Read | Government reclaims 50% of private hospital beds for Covid-19 patients

"Remaining places, there is no demand at all. But they had made a blanket rule because they cannot issue government orders for each district. It should be left to the Deputy Commissioners of the districts to take the beds," he added. Members of the Working Group of Federation of Healthcare Associations -Karnataka also said the same.

Mysuru reported 243 cases on Wednesday taking the active caseload to 1,453. The district surveillance officer said there are 3,500 beds in government and private hospitals put together in the district.

Dr. Chandrashekar GR, Chairman, Cauvery Group of Institutions, Mysuru, which includes Cauvery Heart & Multi Speciality Hospital, said, "Last year, by the time they took 50% of the 150 beds we have for government quota Covid patients in Mysuru, the infections came down. Even at the peak, only around 25% of these beds were occupied.

We bore the losses that came with it. We have no choice but to make a representation. Non-Covid patients are affected. Mysuru doesn't have the kind of surge Bengaluru does."

Vijayapura reported 50 cases on Wednesday, taking the active caseload to 205 in the district.

Prasad Sasnur, owner of Sasnur hospital, Vijayapura, said, "We admit Covid patients in our 90-bedded hospital and non-Covid patients in 100-bedded hospitals. In tier 2 cities, the ceiling rates fixed by the government may suffice, but for hospitals in metropolitan areas, it is not enough.

Last time, we had a meeting with the district health officer saying some private hospitals cannot treat Covid patients. Even this time around only seven private hospitals will treat Covid. The problems are different in different cities."