Punjab: Minister convened meeting on Monday to decide fee structure (File)
Chandigarh:
Taking note of reports that some private Punjab hospitals are charging exorbitant amounts to COVID-19 patients, the state government will soon set treatment fees, said Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Saturday.
The Minister noted that most COVID-19 patients do not require any special treatment. They should only be kept under observation, given food and medicine, he said.
He warned private hospitals to overcharge coronavirus patients with rigorous action and said the government reserves the right to withdraw land provided to hospitals at very concessional rates.
“The Punjab government will soon set COVID treatment fees for the benefit of patients and private hospitals,” said Sidhu in a statement.
He said it is a crisis in which everyone is fighting for survival and “some unscrupulous private hospitals have tried to resort to the open and free looting of defenseless patients”.
“It is sad and shameful on their part that instead of making a positive contribution to the fight against this pandemic, some of these hospitals have resorted to extortion, which will not be authorized at any cost,” he said. -he declares.
The Minister called a meeting on Monday to decide on the fee structure for patients with COVID-19. He said that all the factors will be taken into consideration.
“We do not want private hospitals to suffer financial losses, but we will not allow extortion at any cost and that too during the emergency period,” he said.
“And for sure, treating a COVID patient shouldn’t cost several hundred thousand rupees,” added Sidhu.
