Reserve 50% of beds for COVID-19 patients, private hospitals told

Hassan Deputy Commissioner R. Girish has instructed private hospitals and nursing homes to reserve 50% of beds for COVID-19 patients, as the number of cases is on the rise. He held a meeting with repr

Hassan Deputy Commissioner R. Girish has instructed private hospitals and nursing homes to reserve 50% of beds for COVID-19 patients, as the number of cases is on the rise. He held a meeting with representatives of the Indian Medical Association, private hospitals and nursing homes in Hassan on Friday. In the first phase of the pandemic, the DC said, the district administration did not receive a good response from the private health firms. “There is a chance of 300 fresh cases reporting a day in the next 15 days. If the private hospitals do not join hands with the administration to combat the pandemic, the administration would take strict action”, he warned. He also told the private hospitals to serve the public at the time of crisis with humanity, keeping aside the profit-making agenda. “The government has brought COVID-19 under the purview of disaster management act and hence, the private hospitals have to earmark 50% of beds for the patients and provide them treatment as per the government’s price chart”, he said.