Coronavirus treatment | Show cause notices issued to four top private hospitals in Mumbai

Maharashtra Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope issued a statement on Tuesday on his Twitter page saying show cause notices have been issued to four reputed private hospitals in the city for flouting rules in regard to the treatment of patients infected by the novel coronavirus and warned of strict action against them for violating norms. The hospitals that have been served with notices for not practicing rules related to the treatment of COVID-19 patients are Bombay, Jaslok, Hinduja and Lilavati Hospitals. 

Complaints were raised stating some private hospitals were being uncooperative with the patients after 80 percent of the beds in these facilities were taken charge of by the state government due to the coronavirus crisis. Mr. Tope had personally paid a visit to the four hospitals after which notices were issued. The issue gained steam when several people started complaining saying beds were being denied or they were being told there was no vacancy (of beds) for patients.

The state health assurance society CEO Sudhakar Shinde had gone along with Mr. Tope to the Bombay Hospital. Upon reaching one of the medical facility, a board with information about the availability of the beds for the treatment of COVID-19 patients was not put up, which is mandatory as per government norms. Some of the other hospitals were supposed to display rate cards as directed by the state government for treatment of the patients, which as well were not put up.

Mr. Tope had made a note of the reserved beds at all the four hospitals and has instructed authorities at the facilities not to deny beds to any patients and ensure them to provide proper and timely treatment while urging them to extend their cooperation in the fight against the novel coronavirus, which is a global crisis at present.