BBMP slaps notices on four more hospitals for not reserving beds

BENGALURU: The list of hospitals denying beds and treatment to Covid19 patients is only getting longer and notices are being slapped on them under the Disaster Management Act, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said on Friday.

He told the media that they are welcome to the idea of 4-5 hospitals coming together and reserving an entire hospital for Covid19 and shifting their patients to other hospitals. He said, “Today, we inspected Vikram Hospital and found that they were charging Rs 5,500, instead of Rs 3,000, for CB NAAT test for Covid19 patients since July 24. In all, 44 patients have paid extra. 

A notice was served and the hospital agreed to refund all the patients.” On Thursday, notices were served on four hospitals for not reserving 50% beds. They are St Martha’s Hospital on Nrupathunga Road, Rangadore Memorial Hospital in Shankarapuram, Shifa Hospital on Queens Road and Fortis Hospital on Cunningham Road. 

The south zone team visited 19 hospitals and served them notices and closed OPDs till further orders. They also put up notices at the entrance of these hospitals. Prasad said that rapid antigen tests are being done at 141 PHCs and to scale it up neighbouring empty buildings too are being used. Mobile testing vans have started going around the city, especially to containment zones. On Thursday, 5,000 samples were collected at 150 labs. He asserted that once the BBMP has done the test, private hospitals cannot insist on another test from their collaborated private labs. Action will be initiated such hospitals, he warned.