Karnataka Health Minister Sudhakar responds to News Trail story: Govt will always address concerns of private hospitals

Shilpa P | NT

Mysuru: Responding to a story in News Trail on the problems faced by private hospitals in the covid pandemic situation, minister for health and family welfare Dr K Sudhakar has acknowledged the contribution of private health care sectors in handling the pandemic, and he has assured that government will always try to address the concerns of private hospitals.

In his written statement sent to News Trail, Dr Sudhakar  has stated, “Private hospitals have been our invaluable partners in this collective battle against pandemic. Be it testing, treatment or vaccination, private sector's contribution has been truly commendable.”

Further on the problems faced by private hospital, he has stated, “The cost of package for treatment of patients referred by government under various schemes are decided by an expert committee. The costs for various procedures are periodically reviewed and revised by the committee. As far as GST is concerned it is a collective decision which has to be taken by all states and centre in the GST council. Be it reducing custom duty, GST or capping the price of equipments our government will always try to address the concerns of private sector (hospitals),” Dr Sudhakar has stated.

Followed by interaction with President of The Mysore Association of Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Diagnostic Centres (MAHAN), Dr Jaaveed Nayeem and their executive committee members, News Trail had come up with story on the problems they faced in the covid pandemic scenario on Saturday. During the interaction, these corona warriors of private hospitals of Mysuru, had highlighted that in the pandemic situation, cost of consumables at hospitals have multiplied manifolds, cost of medical equipments including ventilators and also Oxygen plants has tripled. And they had urged that, Government must fix cost of packages for treatment of patients referred by government under Arogya Karnataka scheme to private hospitals scientifically, after a costing audit, after consulting with adequate number of representatives, and they should provide timely reimbursement.  Cost of oxygen plants must be regulated and they should even subsidise these plants. They should also cap the prices of medical equipments and consumables, reduce the custom duty on imported goods like vital life saving equipments, reduce their tax, and GST for capital goods. They should get concession in costs of their basic requirements like electricity and water, and announce relief packages to all private hospitals too.