BBMP cuts its Covid bed quota in private hospitals to 20%

BENGALURU: With the reduction in the number of new Covid-19 cases, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Monday issued orders temporarily reducing the quota of general beds in private hospitals to 20 per cent and high dependency units to 40 per cent. In the light of the second wave, the State Government had earlier issued orders that private hospitals should reserve 50 per cent of their beds for Covid-19 patients referred by it.

As per the BBMP bed portal on Monday, 85.3 per cent of the total beds under government quota in private hospitals remain unoccupied. A total of 4,772 beds in private hospitals, including general beds, HDU, ICU, ICU ventilator beds are under the BBMP quota but 4,075 beds are available. While 6,647 beds were allotted in private medical colleges, 6,393, or 96.17 per cent of the beds, are unoccupied.

Dr Prasanna H M, president of the Private Hospital and Nursing Association (PHANA), said, “There are not many cases in Bengaluru, and even ICU admission referrals have stopped. In districts which have a high positivity rate, the government can continue the reservation of beds.”

Dr Ravindra R, past president of PHANA and MD of Suguna Hospital said, “Over 50 per cent of many private hospitals are empty as there are not many Covid-19 admissions. We have sanitised our hospitals and converted the Covid beds to non-Covid beds. If the government requires the beds again, we will do the needful.”

BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Randeep D, “The Palike has decided to bring in some relaxations. The general beds will be reduced to 20 per cent and HDU beds will be reduced to 40 per cent in private hospitals. However, ICU bed quota will remain the same. For hospitals which have 50 beds and less, we will temporarily release all their beds. However, as and when the cases increase, they should increase the reservation of beds again.”