Covid-19: MHA Caps Delhi Private Hospital Charges; Isolation Beds To Range Between Rs 8,000-10,000

A Niti Aayog committee set by Home Minister Amit Shah has recommended capping of private hospital charges in Delhi.

Amit Shah had constituted the committee to fix rates charged by private hospitals in Delhi. (Image: AFP)

New Delhi: A Niti Aayog committee set up by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for recommendations on the situation of coronavirus in the capital city New Delhi, has suggested capping of private hospital charges in Delhi for isolation bed with and without ventilators. The suggested charges will also include the cost of Personal protective equipment (PPE). The committee has recommended ‘Rs 8,000-10,000, 13,000-15,000 & 15000-18,000 including PPE costs for isolation bed, ICUs without & with ventilator respectively to all hospitals. The current charges according to a tweet by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is Rs 24,000-25,000, 34,000-43,000 & 44,000-54,000 (excluding PPE cost). The MHA has said in a tweet that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah had constituted the committee to fix rates charged by private hospitals in Delhi to ‘provide relief to the common man’. Testing is also going to be increased in the capital city and the tweet said that ‘testing via Rapid Antigen testing methodology was started yesterday’ and that 7040 people have been tested in 193 testing Centres. The tweet also said that testing will be increased in the coming days.

Committee has recommended Rs 8000-10000, 13000-15000 & 15000-18000 including PPE costs for isolation bed, ICUs without & with ventilator respectively to all hospitals as compared to the current charges of Rs 24000-25000, 34000-43000 & 44000-54000 (excluding PPE cost)@HMOIndia

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) June 19, 2020

ALSO READ| Chinese Aggression On Border, Like With India, To Take Advantage Of Pandemic Distractions: US Official On June 14, Shah had called for a meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to review the Covid-19 situation in Delhi. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan was also present in the meeting. Delhi is the third-worst affected state in the country with cases inching toward the 50 k mark. At present, the state has a total of 49979 cases with 26,669 active cases and 1,969 fatalities caused due Coronavirus.