Covid care: Andhra Pradesh High Court asks state government to consider takeover of private hospitals

By LE Desk

May 19: As Andhra Pradesh continues to report around 20,000 active cases every day, the overburdened healthcare infrastructure has invited the attention of the High Court. The Andhra Pradesh High Court has asked the state government to consider taking control of private hospitals in the state for treating Coronavirus-infected patients, reported Deccan Chronicle. The court observed that this would help the state in treating more COVID-19 -infected patients.

The court made the observations while hearing public interest litigations filed by an advocate and other people, The Financial Express reported. 

A bench comprising Justices C Praveen Kumar and K Lalitha directed the government to provide patients with comprehensive information about the availability of hospital beds in the state. The court asked the government to evolve a proper system for this. The court also asked the government to consider setting up isolation centres across cities and towns for those infected with the virus.

It also suggested that the Andhra Pradesh government sets up an alternate call centre like 10 to help as many people as possible to avail government healthcare services. It also asked the government to consider taking control of the private ambulance services to prevent them from charging exorbitantly from the patients.

Andhra Pradesh has reported 21,320 new Covid cases and 99 deaths due to the infection yesterday. While the death toll has increased to 9,580, 21,274 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours. The current active caseload stands at 2,11,501 in the state.

Andhra Pradesh is under lockdown till May 31. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed officials to provide free treatment for Black Fungus infections under the Dr. YSR Aarogyasri scheme. The CM has also directed officials to provide complete support to children whose parents passed away due to COVID-19 in the state.

https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/covid-care-andhra-pradesh-high-court-asks-state-government-to-consider-takeover-of-private-hospitals/2254696/