Covid-19 Treatment: Kerala CM Sets A Huge Example

The private hospitals across the country are cashing the second wave and looting the common man with lakhs of hospital bills. We are hearing reports that people are selling their gold and properties for Covid treatment to their dear ones and still many are unable to pay the bills. A few hospitals are refusing to return the body of the deceased to their family members over failure of payment.

Though the Centre and many state governments have imposed a price cap on Covid treatment, a majority of the private hospitals are completely ignoring this. In Telugu states, this scene is a common phenomenon every other day. Especially in Hyderabad, a couple of hospitals have billed their patients with Rs 23 lakh, Rs 16 Lakh amount. Despite complaining to the authorities, no action is being taken against hospitals.

If these lakhs of bills are noticed, the private hospitals are charging thousands for PPE kits, surgical masks, disposal aprons and other medical equipment from the patients. Under these circumstances, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan led state government has invoked Essentials Articles Act 1986 to control the prices required for Covid-19 treatment.

The prices of PPE kits and essential articles are kept very low so that everyone would get proper treatment in any hospital across the state. Already the state government is providing free treatment at all government run hospitals and people who fall under BPL are also given free medication at private hospitals depending upon the patients condition.

This is a remarkable move by the Kerala CM and he has set a huge example to the rest of the country. Probably no other CM in India would have done the same.