PLEA IN HC TO REIGN IN PVT HOSPITALS

Bringing to the notice of the High Court the exorbitant charges being collected by private hospitals for tests and treatment of Covid-19, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been seeking a direction to the government for preventing rampant profiteering by private, corporate and teaching hospitals in the treatment of Covid-19.

Mr D.G. Narasimha Rao, General Secretary of Patnam, a forum for the development of urban areas, sought a direction to the government to take over at least 50 per cent of beds in these private, corporate and teaching hospitals and evolve a transparent, web-based mechanism in allotting those beds to needy patients and providing treatment at the rates already fixed by the government. Taking note of news reports which published how corporate hospitals were collecting nearly `50,000 to `1,50,000 per day from Covid patients, depending on severity of the cases, the petitioner said none of the hospitals are following the rates fixed by the government.

The court directed the petitioner to implead the private, corporate hospitals against whom charges are being made about collection of exorbitant fee amounts, as they were necessary parties to the litigation. It also wanted the petitioner to provide proof of such over-charging since otherwise they would remain vague allegations.