Delhi private hospitals reduce COVID-19 treatment charges

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Saturday slashed the rates of beds in the private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Delhi. According to reports, the DDMA, which is headed by L-G Anil Baijal, today approved recommendations of the High-Level Expert Committee to fix rates of beds for COVID-19 patients.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Saturday slashed the rates of beds in the private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Delhi. According to reports, the DDMA, which is headed by L-G Anil Baijal, today approved recommendations of the High-Level Expert Committee to fix rates of beds for COVID-19 patients. 

The rates for isolation beds have been fixed between Rs 8,000 – 10,000 a day; for a bed at an ICU between Rs 13,000-15,000 a day and for ICUs with ventilator between Rs 15,000-18,000. respectively.

Chaired meeting of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) with Hon’ble CM, Delhi @ArvindKejriwal, Dy CM @msisodia, Minister (Revenue) @kgahlot, CS CP & other senior officers. pic.twitter.com/G8OJrbik71 — LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) June 20, 2020

The high-level committee was formed last week by Union Home Minister Amit Shah with an aim to fix the rates of isolation beds, ICUs and testing kits in Delhi. The rates would be applicable to all Covid-19 beds up to the upper limit of 60% of the total bed capacity of private hospitals from June 21.

This was announced by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who said that 100 per cent coronavirus COVID-19 beds in private hospitals will be subsidised up to the upper limit of 60 per cent of total hospital capacity.

Sisodia had earlier said that the central government has made the proposal to reduce rates for just 24 per cent beds in private hospitals but the Delhi Government wants at least 60 per cent beds at reduced prices. "This is what we have been demanding," the Delhi Deputy CM said. 

In a tweet, Sisodia said, “Lt Governor Anil Baijal-led Delhi Disaster Management Authority has approved recommendations of High-Level Expert Committee to fix rates of beds for COVID-19 patients. Rates for isolation beds, ICUs without and with ventilator in hospitals are capped at Rs 8000-Rs 10000, Rs 13000-Rs 15000 and Rs 15000-Rs 18000, respectively."

Amid huge resistance from the ruling AAP government, Lt Governor Baijal on Saturday rolled back his order of mandatory 5-day institutional quarantine for COVID-19 patients in the national capital.

Recalling his order, a tweet from Delhi L-G’s office said, “Only those COVID positive cases which do not require hospitalisation on clinical assessment and do not have adequate facilities for home isolation would be required to undergo institutional isolation." Thanking L-G Anil Baijal, Sisodia later said that the reservations of L-G over home isolation were resolved in SDMA meeting and that the home isolation system will continue.

It may be recalled that Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party had opposed Lt Governor’s order for a compulsory five-day institutional quarantine for COVID-19 patients, calling it an arbitrary move. The Delhi government said that the L-G's decision on home quarantine is "arbitrary" and will "seriously harm" people in the national capital.

As per the Union Health Ministry dashboard at 8 AM on Saturday, the national capital had 53,116 confirmed cases, out of which 2,035 have succumbed to the deadly disease.