24/7 helpdesks at private hospitals for better coordination

BENGALURU: BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said that 24x7 helpdesks will be set up at all private hospitals to avoid inconvenience to the public in need of beds for treatment of Covid-19. Answering the queries of BBMP corporators at the Council meeting on Tuesday, Prasad said that helpdesks will facilitate better coordination.

As members condemned the attitude of private hospitals, Prasad said that efforts were being made to put a better system in place. “There have been complaints that some hospitals are not admitting patients recommended by the BBMP. It may have happened due to lack of coordination. To avoid such inconvenience, we will set up helpdesks that function round-the-clock at all private hospitals. The helpdesk staff will coordinate between the agencies and hospital.

This will help keep the bed ready before the patient arrives and also provide quick updates on the availability of beds,” Prasad said. He pointed out that some public health centres which were inaugurated years ago were still not functional, and can now be used to treat Covid patients. Steps will be taken to double the number of tests per day, he said.

When several members complained that private hospitals were not reserving 50% of beds as per the direction of the state government, both Prasad and Mayor M Goutham Kumar said the plight of private hospitals cannot be ignored. Prasad said that walk-in interviews held by BBMP to recruit medical staff on contract basis did not see a good turnout.

Abdul Wajid, opposition leader in the BBMP, alleged that some hospitals charge each patient Rs 15,000 for PPE kits, though the doctor visits 10-15 patients wearing the same PPE kit. He demanded that action be taken against such hospitals. Another member pointed out that due to Covid-19, people who die natural deaths are also finding it difficult to get death certificates, and the government should arrange for them.