Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jul 13: Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner (DC) Dr Rajendra K V, said that show cause notices have been issued to certain private hospitals which allegedly recovered amounts in excess of what is prescribed by the government for coronavirus treatment.
He was speaking at the quarterly Karnataka Development Programmes meeting held on Monday July 12. It was presided over by district in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary.
MLC Bhojegowda complained that several private hospitals have robbed the people in the name of corona treatment, and many poor families are in doldrums as a result. The DC said that eight medical colleges apart from 60 private hospitals have treated coronavirus patients during the second wave. "For helping the sick, we had posted nodal officers and 'Aarogya Mitra' officials at these hospitals to help the general public. People were also asked to complain if exorbitant charges were levied, and a district level committee was formed for examining the complaints. The committee visited 17 private hospitals on its own and checked 2,802 cases. In 66 cases, it was found that charges levied were excessive. The people can even now complain to the district administration if they have been overcharged, he explained. He added that in eight cases during the first wave, excess amounts charged had been refunded. The DC further stated that no hospital has refused treatment for want of oxygen or ventilators.
He informed that 83 percent of the people during the coronavirus first wave and 75 percent in the second, were covered under Ayushman scheme of the government. He also pointed out that many people who were in serious condition, came from other districts and got themselves treated in the city.
Zilla panchayat chief executive officer, Dr Kumar, said that house to house garbage collection has been undertaken in 71 gram panchayat limits in the district and land has been provided to 154 gram panchayats for handling waste disposal. He revealed that it has been decided to hand over garbage handling to five gram panchayats in each taluk and 35 in the entire district in the first phase to self-help women's groups.
Nalin Kumar Kateel expressed resentment at the fact that 930 people to whom title deeds were issued in 20 acres of land in Shaktinagar are facing problem when MLA Vedavyasa Kamath, raised this issue. Kateel directed the officials to immediately find a solution to the problem.
The DC, who mentioned that the positivity rate in the district has gone up from 1.5 to 2.5 percent now, expressed worry about the huge rush witnessed in major temples in the district and wanted curbs to be kept in place to regulate the number of visitors. MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor, said that preparations for celebrating festivals like Ganesha Chaturthi and Sri Krishna Janmastami are being undertaken at several places already, and advised the district administration to frame rules and convey the instructions to the concerned. Minister, Srinivas Poojary, said that a decision will be taken by convening a meeting within a week.
Minister Angara, MLAs Dr Bharath Shetty, Rajesh Naik, Sanjeeva Matandoor, D Vedavyas Kamath and U T Khader, MLCs Pratap Simha Nayak and Harish Kumar, district superintendent of police Rishikesh Sonawane, deputy commissioner of police Hariram Sankar and city corporation commissioner Akshy Sridhar were present.