COVID-19 second wave straining health infrastructure

Prohibitive private healthcare is forcing many people in remote areas to dependent on RMPs

The second wave of COVID-19 has been slowly, but surely, slipping out of hands. People are left to fend for themselves in some places, while at few places people are completely careless and paying scant attention to the impending danger. On the other hand, the work pressure on medical staff is increasing beyond limits. At Kangti and other areas of the district, several cases are reportedly being treated by registered medical practitioners (RMPs), the locally available and affordable healthcare responders in rural areas. “Many in my relatives’ families got positive and they were treated by an RMP. In two cases, he sent the patients to Hyderabad and Bidar. While one patient died at Hyderabad, the patient referred to Bidar survived,” said one Panduranga Rao from Narayankhed. The increasing costs at private hospitals ranging up to more than ₹ 5 lakh are forcing patients to depend on RMPs. This has come to the notice of the district administration and officials are trying to create awareness among public not to depend on RMPs. Recently, a person infected with coronavirus was admitted to a corporate hospital for treatment and the family members so far spent more than ₹ 13 lakh and he has not yet recovered.