Telangana minister orders inquiry into complaints against private hospitals over fees

Hyderabad, Aug 1 (PTI) Telangana Health Minister Eatala
Rajender on Saturday directed that an inquiry by a committee
of senior officials be held into complaints of private
hospitals charging exorbitant fees for COVID-19 treatment.
He said steps should be taken to ensure that fees as
decided by the government is implemented and report on vacant
beds in hospitals is communicated to the government promptly,
an official release said.
He also directed that tough action be taken against
hospitals whichdid not follow the regulations.
Rajender, who held a review over the complaints against
private hospitals, said it is not appropriate for these
hospitalsto burden the patients in the name of PPE kits ,
cost of medicines, ICU charges and highsalaries to medical
personnel though the government has fixedthe fees for COVID-
19 treatment.
He expressed anger that some private hospitals are
forgetting the responsibility to provide treatment with a
humanitarian approach and functioned with a profit motive,
the release said.
The officials told the minister that the health
department received complaints that some private hospitals
charged 10 times more than the normal.
Observing that the health department has been making
all efforts since the first case was detected in the state, he
said modern and expensive medicines have been made available
in government hospitals.
He urged that people should avail the free treatment in
government hospitals without having fear of the infectious
disease, the release said.
Saying that the government is ready to address the
problems of private hospitals, he appealed to them to see that
heavy burden is not put on patients. PTI SJR BN
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)