Telangana health bosses: Wonder why people waste money on private hospitals?

Hyderabad: Telangana health department officials strongly urged people “not to waste lakhs of rupees on getting Covid-19 treatment at private hospitals.”

Addressing the media, director of medical education K. Ramesh Reddy and director of health services Dr G. Srinivasa Rao said it did not make sense for people to spend money during these tough times on private hospitals when “exactly the same treatment, using the same medicines, is available free at government hospitals.”

“All it costs is Rs 150 or so for basic medicines and treatment if a person is detected early as having Covid-19. Even if a case turns serious, anti-viral injections like Remdesivir cost about Rs 20,000. My question is, why are private hospitals charging so much when it costs next to nothing to treat the patients and help them recover in about 10 days or so? This is what we have observed treating tens of thousands of patients in government hospitals,” he said.

The government has created facilities from testing to treatment in all state-run hospitals including stocking medicines. “We are following standard protocols and providing the same treatment,” he said. He urged people not to crowd testing centres unless they have symptoms.

Health minster Etala Rajendar addressing a video conference with government hospital chiefs urged healthcare staff to dedicate themselves to help Covid-19 patients recover. The government is providing everything that is required for the patients.

“It is our job to provide them with the confidence they need that they will get better and this we do with our service and care,” he said. “Please do not neglect the needs of even a single patient, let’s help them recover and save every life,” he said.