They charge Rs 1.15 lakh for a day: Covid-19-positive govt doctor alleges detainment in private hospital

A private hospital in Hyderabad had allegedly detained a government doctor taking treatment there for Covid-19, for not settling the "exorbitant fees levied".

A selfie-video of Dr Asra Sultana making a fervent appeal “for rescue from the hospital’s exploitation” has put the focus on the mismatch between the rates fixed by Telangana government for Covid-19 treatment in the private sector and the actual bills that the patients are asked to pay.

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Interestingly, Dr Sultana is an assistant civil surgeon at the state-run Fever Hospital in Hyderabad which is treating Covid-19 suspects.

However, she along with her family members who also tested positive got admitted into the private hospital last week.

“Due to shortness of breath, I was admitted into Thumbay Hospital, Chaderghat. For one day they are charging Rs 1.15 lakh; I could not pay so much as one-day expenses. My brother paid Rs 1.9 lakh in total and they are not discharging us, they are misbehaving with us,” Dr Sultana says, sobbing in the video.

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“I am in trouble, please help. I cannot pay them Rs one lakh every day. I want to be discharged right now. I am a Covid-19 warrior,” she says.

Dr K Shankar, Fever Hospital superintendent, told DH that Dr Sultana was never put on Covid-19 duties.

“In our tests about a week back, she was negative. But later, she sent a message claiming she has tested positive and asked for a 14 day leave to be in quarantine. We were not informed or aware that she was admitted to a private hospital. Availing a private facility is her choice. If she wants, we can put her in NIMS or Gandhi for proper treatment. We even tried to resolve her bill issue,” Dr Shankar said.

Chaderghat police said that she got admitted in the private hospital on July 1 and left the hospital for home by Sunday morning.

Thumbay Hospital authorities refuted Dr Sultana’s charges as baseless and stated her total bill amount "for almost five days is about Rs 1.5 lakh." She was non-cooperative in treatment and abusive to doctors, other staff, they said, adding that legal action could be taken on her.

The Chandrasekhar Rao government has been claiming best facilities, treatment for Covid-19 patients in the government hospitals.

Follow: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths on July 5

While allowing private hospitals in Covid-19 treatment, Health Minister Etela Rajender had on June 15 announced a ceiling of Rs 7,500 per day without ventilator support and Rs 9,000 with a ventilator.

However, several hospitals are reportedly charging 10 times the prescribed rates, subjecting patients to unrequired procedures. In some cases, patients’ records allegedly evade Covid-19 mention to avoid any scrutiny.

“We charge around Rs one lakh per day for Covid-19 patients. Government orders are being ignored everywhere, not just at our hospital,” a senior doctor at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad said.

Total positive cases in Telangana till Friday is 22,312 with 288 deaths.

“We charge around Rs 1 lakh per day for Covid-19 treatment. Government orders are being ignored everywhere, not just at our hospital,” a senior doctor at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad told DH.

The total positive cases in Telangana till Friday is 22,312 with 288 deaths.