Maharashtra govt forms two coordination panels on COVID-19

    Mumbai, May 15 (PTI) The Maharashtra government has
set up two committees at state and district level for better
coordinationbetween public and private hospitals in tackling
the spread of COVID-19.
    The decision to constitute the coordination panels was
taken on Thursday after a meeting between representatives of
the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Maharashtra Chief
secretary Ajoy Mehta, according to the government.
    A Government Resolution (GR) issued on May 14 said the
committees will ensure all government decisions regarding
steps being taken to control the pandemic and medical
protocols are made available to all concerned.
    The panels will see that PPE kits, gloves and masks
are made available to medical workers in private hospitals.
    The committees will also work out steps to be taken to
ensure medical workers have social security and are treated
with respect and dignity, the GR said.
    The state-level committee will be headed by the chief
secretary and comprise principal secretary (public health),
principal secretary (urban development),secretary (medical
education), Mumbai municipal commissioner and director of the
Directorate of Medical Education.
    Director of health services will be member-secretary,
while president of the IMA (Maharashtra) and a representative
of the association will be an invitee on the panel.
    The district-level committee will have collector as
chairman and members will include CEO of the zilla parishad,
police commissioner,municipal commissioners and district
police superintendent.
    District civil surgeon will be member-secretary, while
district president of the IMA (Maharashtra) and a
representative of the medical body will be an invitee.
    Coordination between government and medical fraternity
will be worked out for state and district level implementation
of all coronavirus-related guidelines issued by the WHO and
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the GR said.
    Till May 14, Maharashtra had recorded 27,524 cases of
COVID-19.
    Meanwhile, a release issued by the IMA (Maharashtra)
said a delegation led by its state unit president Avinash
Bhondwe met Mehta and other senior officials on Thursday to
discuss issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.
    Apart from setting up of the two committees for smooth
functioning of the COVID 19 control campaign, the IMA
suggested that there should be a uniform policy about fees and
other charges for COVID and non-COVID patients treated by
private hospitals all over the state.
    The IMA suggested that all acquired private hospitals
should be included under the state's Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan
Arogya Yojana, the release said.
    The IMA said there should not be any medico-legal case
against any doctor on ground that the treating doctor or
hospital is cause of COVID-19 infection to a patient.
    The renewal date of registration of hospitals under
the Bombay Nursing Home Act should be postponed in view of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the release said. PTI MR
RSY RSY

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)