Earlier today, just before the meeting, Sisodia announced that “we will oppose LG’s order to scrap home isolation, and demand changing it”. (File)
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority meeting between Delhi L-G Anil Baijal and Delhi government representatives, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, begun and ended on a sour note Saturday morning, sources said.
While the meeting was called to discuss the cap on treatment cost being charged by private hospitals, it took place under the shadow of the order passed by the L-G on Saturday evening, which made a five-day institutional quarantine mandatory for everyone, irrespective of whether they have symptoms or not.
According to Sisodia, no consensus could be reached on the issue of the number of beds in private hospitals where controlled prices will be applicable or on the curbs on home isolation.
“The Centre has recommended that 24 per cent of the beds in private hospitals be on a reduced rate whereas Delhi Government is insistent on rates being controlled on at least 60 per cent beds. This is where the matter is stuck. We will meet again in the evening,” Sisodia tweeted.
<p “width=420″ lang=”hi” dir=”ltr”>केंद्र सरकार ने प्राइवेट अस्पतालों में केवल 24% बेड्ज़ को सस्ता करने की सिफ़ारिश की है जबकि दिल्ली सरकार कम से कम 60% बेड्ज़ सस्ते देने पर अड़ी है. यहीं बात अटक गई है. शाम को फिर इस पर चर्चा होगी.
2/N— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) June 20, 2020
A committee led by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul had recommended to the Centre that rates in Delhi hospitals be cut by two-thirds.
The committee recommended that rates for an isolation bed be in the range of Rs 8,000-10,000 per day from the existing Rs 24,000-25,000 per day. For ICU bed without a ventilator, the recommended rate was Rs 13,000 – 15,000 to Rs 34,000-43,000 per day and that for an ICU bed with ventilator, which costs Rs 44,000-54,000 a bed at present, be fixed at Rs 15,000-18,000 per day.
Matters also got heated over the home isolation order passed by the L-G on Friday.
The order said that those testing positive for Covid-19 will first have to be sent to institutional quarantine for at least five days. Any decision on where they will be kept beyond that will be taken after that.
“Delhi government has opposed the LG’s decision to end home isolation. There is no decision on this either,” Sisodia tweeted. A meeting has been called again at 5 pm to discuss both issues.
<p “width=420″ lang=”hi” dir=”ltr”>होम आइसोलेशन ख़त्म करने के सम्बंध में भी एलजी साहब के कल के फ़ैसले का दिल्ली सरकार ने विरोध किया. इस पर भी कोई निर्णय नहीं हुआ. शामको फिर चर्चा होगी.— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) June 20, 2020
Sources said the main areas of concern raised by the Chief Minister were that of availability of healthcare staff to cater to everyone in institutional quarantine; the lack of space and how many facilities selected so far are not viable (train coached, open grounds); the “unfairness” of targeting Delhi when the city is following ICMR norms for home quarantine; the losing focus and diversion of attention from serious patients and the fear that people will not come forward willingly to be tested, increasing the risk of transmission further.
“World over, home isolation is being encouraged and here we are asking that everyone be put in institutions, even if they don’t need it. This is the fastest way to destabilize the city and healthcare facilities. The CM also asked the LG why Delhi is the only state being targeted thus when its home isolation policy is working well,” said a senior government official, who did not want to be named.
Sources said that the L-G did not relent on either of the two points raised. The two issues will be discussed again in the meeting scheduled for 5 pm, Saturday.