People can lodge complaint against exorbitant fees in private hospitals

Hyderabad: If anyone has complaints against bills issued for treatment in private hospitals they can dial 104 and lodge their grievance, stated, Dr G Srinivas Rao, Director of Public Health on Tuesday. A WhatsApp number to lodge complaints will be made available soon by Telangana Health Department. Patients can register complaints on price capping violations will be forwarded to concerned DMHOs to initiate action. Meanwhile, the department has announced that Covid-19 patients and suspects can get admitted at three hospitals attached to private medical colleges including Malla Reddy, Kamineni and Mamatha Medical colleges. Treatment is free of cost. The service will be rolled out in 7 more colleges soon.

Meanwhile the department has announced that Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) are being done on all visiting testing centres in all districts with Covid symptoms. Positive in RAT declared as coronavirus positive and if anyone tests negative in RAT & still has clear symptoms, swab samples will be collected again for RT-PCR test.

The department officials stated that around 25,000 Rapid Antigen Tests have been performed in Telangana till date. Meanwhile, the health department has announced that 98 private hospitals in GHMC limits are permitted to offer corona treatment. Of them, 54 started to offer treatment

Also, Covid positive patients can go to TIMS, Gachibowli. Their condition will be screened at triage there and further process will be suggested there. Critical cases will be directed to Gandhi Hospital.

Meanwhile, Telangana health department found serious exception to the Covid-19 daily bulletin issued by PIB (Press Information Bureau) in which it was reported that the High Court tore into the health department and summoned the Director of Public Health. Responding to this, Director of Public Health Dr. G. Srinivasa Rao has strongly condemned and expressed utmost displeasure at the statement given out by the PIB.

The PIB has resorted to blame game. In fact, the high court took stock of the situation and appreciated the efforts taken by the state in terms of testing, hospital preparedness and case management, he said. Telangana state has maintained and strictly followed all the protocols and SOPs of ICMR as well as Government of India. The Director Public health has further stated that the report of PIB is absolutely baseless and is tarnishing the efforts of the state in the control and management of Covid-19.