COVID-19 patients are increasing day by day. However, due to non-availability of beds and for better treatment patients are turning to private. In recent past, there were many complaints have been registered with MBMC that private hospitals are charging inflated bills, though the state government has issued the advisory to cap the charges. The Guardian Minister of Thane Eknath Shinde ordered the MBMC commissioner to take strict action on hospitals if such cases are found here.
Minister Eknath Shinde said that Mira Bhayander Municipal Commissioner has been directed to take legal action against the private hospitals which are collecting inflated bills from Corona infected patients. “This is the time to help each other and if anyone is taking advantage, this will not tolerate it,” he warned.
On Tuesday, Shinde held a meeting at the MBMC headquarters to review the measures being taken by the corporation to cease the spread of corona infection in Mira Bhayandar. The meeting was attended by Shiv Sena MP from Thane Rajan Vichare, Shiv Sena MLA from Ovala Majiwada Pratap Sarnaik and Independent MLA from Mira Bhayandar Geeta Jain, Mayor Jyotsna Hasnale, Commissioner Dr Vijay Rathod and Leader of Opposition in MBMC Praveen Patil etc.
After the meeting, Shinde said that the Chase the Virus campaign needs to be implemented more effectively. The number of patients will increase as the tests increase. However, tests and surveys will help in finding patients at an early stage. This will reduce mortality. Shinde said, “There would be no shortage of funds from the government for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.”
Audit Team on paper
The MBMC has constituted a five-member team to audit the arbitrary bills. However, it seems that the team is working only on paper. Haq Hai, an NGO working on Inflated bills, received a complaint from a patient that a Mira Road Hospital has overestimated charged them. When Sadique Basha, founder of Haq Hai, intervened the hospital staff misbehaved with him. When he received the bills printed copy and Basha warned them to complain in Health Ministry, the hospital reduced the bills. “No audit team is on the field. They are just on paper. We are receiving two to three complains daily. This incident happened on this Monday,” said Basha.
Chase the Virus Campaign
Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has conducted five days survey from July 14 to July 18. The 417 teams constituted by 834 employees have visited 2,90,989 homes. During the survey, 55 tested positives out of 375 symptomatic patients. The MBMC has appealed citizens to come forward to get tested if have any symptoms of COVID-19. Teams are still surveying the unreached areas.
However, according to the survey, 80 per cent of patients are either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. “Besides, we have more than enough quarantine centres. We have separate rooms for high-risk patients. Initially, the recovery rate was low. However, now the rate has increased to 77 per cent,” said Sambhaji Waghmare, Deputy Commissioner of MBMC.
