Stress-free conditions must to deal with Covid: Doctors tell NMC

Nagpur: Vidarbha Hospitals’ Association (VHA), having 10,000 private beds under its command, on Saturday raised with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) issues affecting its members who have been asked to treat Covid patients.
The private hospitals sought relief and a stress-free atmosphere in dealing with the pandemic.
VHA secretary Dr Alok Umre and its convener Dr. Anup Marar highlighted the problems being faced by doctors in running their establishments “with hands tied in the form of unconstitutional notifications, frequent change of guidelines, rate capping of non-Covid care, forceful coercion, threats, and non-appreciative atmosphere”.
VHA president Dr Ashok Arbat said, “Maximum usage of one PPE per day per patient is unscientific and will boomerang on the quality of care delivered to patients. This ruling is difficult to follow on ethical grounds and urgently needs a review.”
Vice president Dr Shrikant Mukewar mentioned that rate capping has already dented the fiscal situation of those hospitals that are running Covid sections.
Dr Marar stated that patients are rushing to private hospitals assured of good quality care. “The rush to private hospitals speaks volumes about the faith of patients in private hospitals,” he said.
Convener Dr Sameer Paltewar said all cashless beneficiaries must claim reimbursement to cut paper work and time.
Dr Umre said, “Intimidations, stringent notifications, repeated inspections, audits, varied formats submission to various platforms are taking a toll. This is not in interest of patients and will backfire.’
Joint secretary Dr Dilip Rathi sought a rate cap on oxygen and biomedical waste charges.
Joint secretary Dr Shantanu Sengupta stated that forcing private hospitals to stop admitting non-Covid patient is unconstitutional.
Treasurer Dr Deepak Deshmukh asked why hospitals are being forced to pay electricity, water and taxes as per commercial rates if treatment cost is capped.
Joint treasurer Ravi Mannadiyar said even doctors and nurses in private practice are getting infected while attending to patients and hence an insurance security is required for them too.
Executive members Dr Avinash Pophali, Dr Prakash Khetan, Dr Deepak Jeswani, Dr Prashant Rathi, Dr Kush Jhunjhunwala, Dr Akash Balki and Dr Amol Deshmukh appealed to the NMC to consider the above issues.