Srikakulam: Private hospital cash in on Covid fears

Srikakulam: Managements of various private hospitals are exploiting patients in the wake of rising Covid cases in the current third wave. Due to cold weather and fog, more number of people are complaining of fever, cold, cough and other symptoms similar to Covid.

Fearing that they might have contracted Covid, most of them are going for tests. Cashing in on the situation, private hospitals, mainly located in Day and Night Junction in Srikakulam city, are referring them for a battery of tests like blood, urine, sugar, cholesterol, etc.,

For all these tests, each patient is shelling out at least Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000. In the name of precautionary measure, costly medicines are prescribed to patients regularly. Doctors at private hospitals are suggesting medicine against the treatment procedure prescribed for Covid by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR).

ICMR removed drug 'ivermectin' from Covid treatment but most of the doctor are still recommending it. ICMR is yet to decide on 'Molnupiravir' to treat Ccovid patients as experts are still having doubts over its side effects but doctors here are prescribing it.

In addition, doctors are recommending antibiotics to patients unnecessarily. Some doctors are recommending Covid drugs manufactured by non-branded companies which may cause harm to patients in future.

Private hospitals are simply encashing the fear and confusion of the patients.

When contacted, district medical and health officer Dr Bagadi Jagannadha Rao said they were issuing clear instructions to all private hospitals not to treat Covid patients without recognition and unless the facility was designated for the specific purpose.

He said if any one is aggrieved by the wrong treatment of the private hospitals, they can register complaint with the them directly.