Coronavirus in Telangana: Lack of coordination among hospitals a concern

HYDERABAD: While detection of a second positive coronavirus case resulted in a series of meetings by authorities, the death of a 76-year-old patient from Kalaburagi on Friday raised several questions over the coordination between private and government hospitals. Meanwhile, no further contacts of the deceased patient were traced on Saturday. State health authorities, on March 1, had announced that private hospitals which are equipped to house isolation wards can take in suspect coronavirus cases.
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“The patient from Kalaburagi was turned away by two private hospitals despite having isolation wards. This is a matter of concern,” said a doctor from a government hospital on condition of anonymity. The hospitals in question are said to have known that the patient was a Covid-19 suspect. He had visited four hospitals in total.

“There was no coordination anywhere in the whole process and no attempt was made to restrict the movement of the patient. This has put so many people at risk. It shows that the government’s decision to allow private hospitals to take in patients was made in a haste. Even when the entire scenario is known now, no action could be taken against any hospital as none of them are liable,” said a hospital insider.
Health authorities had announced at the time of making the decision, to allow private hospitals to manage suspected patients, that a pricing policy for such cases will be devised. However, the policy is yet to be formulated. “After this, we might even need to rethink on allowing so many private hospitals to manage suspect patients. A decision will be taken after due consideration,” said a senior official from state health department.