The Telangana government may have capped the Covid-19 treatment cost at the state’s private hospitals, but the latter seem to be busy making money at the cost of poor patients. The dirty face of these hospitals came to light once again on Sunday when a woman doctor serving at a governmentrun hospital in Hyderabad alleged that a private hospital charged her Rs 1.15 lakh for one-day treatment of Covid-19.
The Telangana government has capped the cost of conducting a Covid-19 test in a private lab at Rs 2,200. Likewise, the fee for treatment in ICU without ventilator support is Rs 7,500 per day, while it would be Rs 9,000 per day with ventilator support and for mere quarantine and treatment (not ICU) Rs 4,000.
Dr Sultana, who is Divisional Medical Officer (DMO) at Fever Hospital, claimed that the hospital authorities detained her for not paying the bill. As per reports, the hospital staff detained her for paying only Rs 40,000 and demanded her to pay the rest of the amount.
She released a video about her bitter experience and complained to the police in writing. Dr Sultana wrote, “I am a Covid warrior doctor. On July 1 midnight, I had breathing problems and was admitted at Thumbay Hospital. Neither medicine is good nor nurses are responsible. They did not give any medication on time. After 22 hours, I was discharged and Rs 1.15 lakh bill was given to me for a day. I paid Rs 40,000. I don’t have money and they have detained me. Please help.”
The doctor, who had tested positive for Covid-19 along with her brother and daughter, kept crying throughout the 1.5 minute video which went viral on Sunday.
The Thumbay Hospital management, however, said that the doctor fought with the hospital staff and so nurses refused to treat her. When The Daily Guardian contacted the healthcare expert Dr Srinubabu Gedela, he said, “Due to better facilities we all want Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals with affordable prices but many hospitals are violating the norms. I request the Telangana government to keep an eye on such hospitals and take stringent action against them.”
Dr Sultana was later shifted to a government-run super speciality hospital NIMS.
Recently, one 53-year-old man, who was admitted in a corporate hospital in Hyderabad’s posh Banjara Hills area for Covid treatment, was charged Rs 20 lakh for a 23-day treatment.