KATHMANDU, May 5: The private hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley are found charging exorbitantly high fees for COVID-19 treatment.
These hospitals have been found charging up to Rs 50,000 a day for the treatment of a COVID-19 patient as government hospitals in the country are already flooded with COVID-19 patients.
The COVID-19 fee structures of HAMS Hospital and Kathmandu Medical College Public Limited in the capital have drawn wide public criticism on social media platforms as their bed charges seem much higher than the normal charge.
Built by Sajha Yatayat in Lalitpur’s Pulchowk, charging station...
HAMS Hospital has been found charging Rs 7,000 per bed in the general ward, Rs 15,000 for a shared ward and Rs 11,000 for a ward with 3 to 4 beds. Likewise, the hospital is charging Rs 21,000 per day for a private room for isolation facility, Rs 26,000 for deluxe room, Rs 50,000 for suite room and Rs 22,000 for an ICU bed. The patients also have to pay Rs 1,500 per visit to the doctor along with additional medical, transport, management, nursing and food and beverage charges.
Similarly, Kathmandu Medical College in a statement set new charges for COVID-19 patients seeking treatment at the hospital. Patients visiting the hospital for COVID-19 treatment have to pay Rs 20,000 a day for a single bed cabin, Rs 10,000 for double bed cabin, Rs 25,000 for deluxe bed cabin and Rs 30,000 for a super deluxe bed.
However, the hospitals are unwilling to make remarks on the fee structure they have maintained for COVID-19 patients.
Rajan Bhandari, a staffer at the clinical division of HAMS Hospital said that he is not supposed to make any comment on the hospital’s fee structure for COVID-19 treatment and suggested contacting Roshan Adhakari, a staffer at the hospital’s administrative division.
Adhakari, too, made a similar statement and suggested contacting the management committee of the hospital.
While the Valley is grappling with the second wave of COVID-19 with limited resources and hospitals, this inhumane act of private hospitals is making it difficult for the lower and middle class and poor people to survive the ongoing pandemic.
