In order to help patients seeking COVID-19 healthcare from private hospitals, the government has decided to take under its wings all ninety-five private hospitals situated and operating in Dakshina Kannada under the Ayushman Bharat – Arogya Karnataka Scheme (AB-ArK Scheme). All hospitals that have been registered under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act and all private hospitals that are treating COVID-19 patients will be enrolled under the AB-ArK scheme. With this scheme, every patient undergoing treatment for COVID-19 in the general ward can now avail free treatment.
Till now, 12 hospitals have been enrolled under the scheme. Eight among the said twelve hospitals are medical colleges. To date, the state government has paid an approximate amount of two crores for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the state. Kota Srinivas Poojary, the district-in-charge manager mentioned that it was compulsory for all the private hospitals to accept the scheme. The District Health and Family Welfare Officer Ramachandra Bairy reassured people by remarking that currently a sufficient number of beds were available in hospitals like Wenlock. Deputy Commissioner K V Rajendra also mentioned that over thirty mobile-testing vehicles are currently on rounds in trying to collect throat and nasal swabs.
This venture of making sure patients get free treatment at perilous times such as this is of grave importance as not everyone will be capable of bearing with the costs of treatments. And as the acquisition of the virus comes with certain complexities, it would imply extra treatment costs which are once again difficult for everyone to cover. Therefore by bringing into effect, such a plan, especially in the private hospitals will help take away some of the anxiety people have with regard to contracting the virus as treatment is now no longer an issue.
Meanwhile, Wenlock hospital is set to provide its patients with plasma therapy in the near future. While the equipment for extracting plasma and conducting the tests has been ordered, the hospital is waiting for the government’s nod on the matter as the equipment is quite costly. Such a testing centre would be a giant leap in the testing and treating of the coronavirus as it is said to be effective when given within six days of contracting the infection. A batch of fifty patients has been given the treatment. Each plasma vial costs 9,500 rupees.
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