Coronavirus Testing & Treatment Must Be Free: Shabbir

Hyderabad, June 15 (Maxim News): Former Minister and ex-Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Monday demanded that the testing and treatment of Coronavirus patients should be completely free for poor and middle classes sections of the society.

Shabbir Ali, in a media statement, welcomed the decision of the State Government to permit private hospitals and laboratories to test and treat the Covid-19 patients. However, he said as per the advice of the Supreme Court, the State Government should bear the cost of Covid-19 testing. Further, Covid-19 should be included in the list of diseases covered under Aarogyasri scheme. He said it would be difficult for the poor and middle class to afford the cost of the testing and treatment fixed by the State Government.

He said lakhs of people have lost their livelihood and jobs or faced huge cuts in salaries due to lockdown. Therefore, they won’t be having money to get themselves tested and treated at a private facility, he said.

“Since the testing in government facilities has been limited and subject to various conditions, many people, especially those with Covid-19 symptoms, will approach the private labs and hospitals for testing. It will be difficult for poor and even middle class people to pay Rs. 2,200 per test. The cost will be a huge burden if an entire family goes for the test. Therefore, the State Government should pay for the testing charges in all private hospitals or labs,” he demanded.

Further, he demanded that the State Government utilise all nine government testing facilities by 100% capacity to facilitate testing of poor people. As of now, selective testing is being done only in Gandhi Hospital and one or two other hospitals. The rate of testing should be escalated and all ICMR approved facilities should be utilised for the purpose.

Shabbir said the cost of treatment fixed by the State Government was too high. He said a Covid-19 positive patient, on an average, undergoes hospitalisation for at least 10-15 days. Therefore, bearing the cost of Rs. 70,000 for 10 days will be a huge burden for the middle class and totally impossible for the poor-patients. The cost will go up further up to Rs. 9,000 a day if a patient has to be put on a ventilator. The isolation charges of Rs. 4,500 are also high, he said.

“The Covid-19 pandemic will not go on for a long time. Therefore, the government should pay a fixed amount for the next three-four months to all private hospitals and make them test and treat all patients at free of cost. The State Government should come up with an effective strategy so as to trace, test and treat all the Covid-19 cases in Telangana State,” he demanded. (Maxim News)