Private hospitals to provide free treatment to COVID-19 patients in Rajasthan
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Rajasthan high court. Image credit: Post staff
Jaipur: The Rajasthan government on Friday told the high court that it would be mandatory for private hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients free of cost in the state. The government will take legal action if any private hospital violates these orders. The government was submitting its reply to a PIL filed in the Rajasthan high court on Friday.
A lawyer, Suchi Singhavi, had filed a PIL in the court stating that the private hospitals were not providing free treatment to COVID-19 patients. The PIL stated that the majority of the hospitals had been allotted land at discounted rates and given many other concessions for the hospital. For this reason, the hospitals should provide free treatment to COVID-19 patients as it has been declared a pandemic.
The PIL named add chief secretary of health department, superintendent of SMS Hospital and DGP as parties. Giving reference to a Supreme Court order, petitioner Sameer Jain said that all the charitable trusts and private organizations which benefit from government grants and facilities have been authorized for COVID-19 treatment. These hospitals can not force the patients to go to other hospitals.
The government in its reply said that it was mandatory for private hospitals to provide free treatment to COVID-19 patients.
