In a new initiative, seven private hospitals in Dharwad district have come together to set up a private hospital dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients.
At a time when private hospitals have been reluctant to treat COVID-19 patients and finding excuses to avoid following government guidelines, this development is considered a welcome move.
The seven private hospitals that have jointly set up the COVID-19 Unity Hospital at Irakal Complex located opposite the District Court in Dharwad, have handed over the dedicated hospital to the Dharwad district administration.
The hospital, set up through an initiative taken by Shreeya Hospital, Shravya Hospital, Dr. S.R. Ramangoudar Hospital, Amarajyoti Hospital, Amrut Nursing Home, Dr. Galgali Nursing Home and Mangala Maternity and Surgical Home, has a capacity to treat 65 patients.
The private hospitals have decided to treat COVID-19 patients at this dedicated hospital for the pandemic and treat non-COVID-19 patients in other hospitals.
Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil, who welcomed the move, has said that steps would be taken to ensure immediate certification for the hospital under the KPME Act. The administration will ensure that the hospital was given trade licence and also NOC from the Pollution Control Board for disposal of bio-medical waste.
The dedicated private COVID-19 hospital will be registered under Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST) so that treatment for COVID-19 positive patients would be as per the stipulated tariff. Meanwhile, the private hospitals have requested the administration to provide insurance cover to all doctors and health staff working in this private hospital.