6 more hosps lose permit

Permissions for six hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients have been revoked by the director of public health and family welfare in the state. These are the KIMS Hospital in Secunderabad, Sunshine Hospital in Gachibowli, Century Hospitals in Banjara Hills, Medisys Hospital in LB Nagar and Integro Hospital in Tolichowki.

“A total of 174 complaints had been received by the government about additional charges levied on patients etc and 113 of these have been issued show cause notices. The permissions granted to 22 hospitals have been revoked,” the government said on Tuesday.

Revoking of the permission means that no more of admissions of Covid19 patients can be done in these hospitals. The patients currently undergoing treatment have to be treated and discharged.

Doctors of the Indian Medical Association and the Telangana Superspecialty Hospitals Association say the government action was likely based on complaints of “one or two” patients.

“We have treated thousands of patients in the second wave. How can complaints of one or two form the basis for such action? Is this being done to the benefit of hospitals that are close to the government to enable them do way with such difficult treatment?”

There is buzz in medical circles that the action was taken on the basis of complaint from a single patient, in each case, and the points put forward by the hospitals were not considered.

The Telangana Hospital and Nursing Homes Association stated that their request for a revision of rates for treating Covid19 patients has not been agreed to by the government. “We are calling the office of the director of public health everyday but there is no response,” they said.

Another doctor said, “As per the right to health, hospitals cannot deny treatment to a patient. The action of the government during the pandemic will be challenged in court.”

Hospitals say the health infrastructure is based on medical devices, medicines and various other components. “Actions like black marketing or increasing the prices of drugs several times are not being checked and anti-social elements are not being controlled by the government. But, registered hospitals are instead being targeted,” a doctor said.

Many of these hospitals that were issued notices in the last three days have asked their legal team to look into this for possible legal recourse.