DMK President M K Stalin on Wednesdayurged private hospitals to allocate over and above 50 per centbeds fixed by the government for COVID-19 patients and provideconsession in billing to the maximum possible extent forhealthcare services availed by virus infected people.
Stalin said he has asked Tamil Nadu Chief SecretaryRajeev Ranjan to immediately set up a Command Centre forstate-wide coordination and integrated action on matters,including availability and requirement of beds, oxygen andvaccine doses.
“To tackle the rise in oxygen demand and higher spread ofCOVID-19, private hospitals should act swiftly and work intandem with government hospitals.” The Dravidian party top leader, who is set to assumeoffice as Chief Minister on May 7, said private hospitals havebeen earmarking 50 per cent beds for coronavirus patients,complying with a government directive.
The pandemic scenario has now changed into a medicalemergency and “I appeal to private hospitals to fully committhemselves to saving people who fear for their lives,” the DMKchief said in a statement.
Hence, private hospitals should provide beds over andabove the 50 per cent threshold set by the government forCOVID-19 patients as the need for catering to virus infectedpeople was rising, he said.
Allocating beds for elective surgeries should beavoided, he said. It would be useful to people if privatehospitals notified the number of available beds and ones withoxygen in their respective portals.
He urged them to also provide consession in billing to themaximum possible extent for services availed by coronavirusinfected people.
The lives of the ordinary and poor patients should besaved by showing great compassion, he said, adding that thetough times can be overcome when one and all worked togetherand acted vigilantly.
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