Covid treatment fees at private hospitals increased

VIJAYAWADA:  Deputy Chief Minister (Health) Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas said measures are being taken to ensure results of Covid samples are issued in less than 24 hours. Speaking to mediapersons after a long meeting with CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Covid Command and Control Centre officials and district collectors, the minister said it has been decided to appoint nodal officers, at both district and state levels, for monitoring of patients in home isolation. 

On the directions of the chief minister, salaries of FNOs and MNOs working in mortuaries were increased from the existing Rs 13,000 to Rs 15,000 per month, he said. A committee has been constituted in view of the complaints that some private hospitals are charging more from the Covid-19 patients. He said to ensure private hospitals do not suffer and put more pressure on the patients, the government has revised the fees.

Now, the fees for treating serious cases of Covid has been increased to Rs 16,000 instead of Rs 10,380 fixed last year. “To ensure there are sufficient numbers of beds for Covid patients and stress on hospitals is reduced, more Covid Care Centres will be set up. We have also ramped up testing and today 80,000 samples were tested in a day compared to 30,000 samples ten days ago,” he explained.