COVID TREATMENT CHARGES DECIDED BY INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE, SAYS VISHWAJIT
PANAJI/VASCO
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday revealed his intentions to revise the cap on rates chargeable for Covid treatment at private hospitals even as Health Minister Vishwajit Rane sought to assert that the government cannot regulate the charges of Covid-19 treatment at private hospitals beyond a certain limit.
“I have spoken with Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on capping of private hospitals rate for Covid-19 admission. The government will revise rates decided by the committee," CM Sawant announced.
It may be recalled that the government had on September 15 capped the charges for Covid treatment in the private sector. However, Rane informed that he had received some representations to revise these rates with citizens and Opposition parties raising concerns over the high charges fixed by the committee.
Inaugurating a healthcare outlet at Dabolim Airport earlier, which would cater to passengers who wish to purchase Covid-related PPE and other safety equipment at the airport, Rane said the file on rates will be sent back to Chief Minister, who would take a decision in the matter.
Responding to criticisms over exorbitant rates set by the government for Covid treatment in private hospitals, Rane said the government could not control rates at private hospitals beyond a point.
"An independent committee has fixed the pricing, but we are getting different representations in this matter and I have had a discussion with the chief minister, who has asked me to resubmit the file regarding the capping of charges of private hospitals treating Covid patients.”
“I have sought the file of rates fixed by the independent committee and the file will be sent to the CM by Monday, after which we will send the file again to the committee for a rational pricing and I am sure the CM will resolve the issue," added Rane.
“Private hospital rates can be controlled to a limited extent because it can impact their functioning and as of now, every bed is important to us.”
Stating that he had been misquoted on the issue of VIP treatment, Rane said: “Every Goan is a VIP and will get VIP treatment which is his/her right.”
The health minister informed that a team of officials had visited the South Goa District hospital.
“I will be visiting the hospital on Saturday and we have decided that we will have 150 beds in the first phase, after which we will have 200 beds and we will operate with 350 beds. But we can take the capacity to 566 beds in the hospital,” he said.
Rane said the government had introduced new line of treatment of tablets and medicines which have been successful in other states.
“We have trained multipurpose health workers and doctors in every heath centre via video conferencing, taken on board Goa Electronics and we are taking details and monitoring every patient under home isolation.”
“Goa is the only state which is offering free treatment to patients. We have taken two machines for plasma and we have to use a kit worth Rs 8,000 per patient and we are incurring a lot of expenses," said Rane.
