Plea In Kerala High Court Seeks Uniform COVID-19 Treatment Tariffs Across Private Hospitals, Labs, Diagnostic Centers

A petition has been moved in the Kerala High Court seeking direction to the state government to fix uniform COVID-19 treatment tariffs across private hospitals, labs, and diagnostic centers in the state. The petition asserts that the state government is bound to take appropriate action or remedial measures to control regularize the high charges imposed by Private Hospital for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. Terming the effective denial of access to Covid facilities as a failure by the government to assure to citizens the right to good health under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the petition states, "Due to less numbers of Covid beds, ICU's and Ventilator facility in the Government Hospitals, the majority of the population, comes under middle and low income has deprived from the treatment due to unattainable charges of private hospitals…" Therefore, the petition prays, "The State Government should assure that the every citizen should be provided with facility to get adequate treatment through Government Health Services or else assure the treatment through other private facilities in the present rapid spread of Covid-19 and unavailability of beds, ICU's and Oxygen supported beds etc. Citing these circumstances, the petitioner seeks - A direction to the state to re-fix tariff for the private hospital/nursing homes for the treatment of Covid-19 patients including charges of laboratories and Diagnostic Centers A direction to ensure free treatment for Covid-19 patients below poverty in both Government and Private Hospitals; A direction to set in place an arrangement for setting up temporary hospitals facilities in the state to treat the patients with basic symptoms of Covid-19; Direction to the State Government, Director of Health Services and the ICMR to display availability of normal beds, ICUs and Ventilator facility in all Government Hospitals, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes on a real-time basis A direction to State Government and Director of Health Services ensure the adequate, continuous and regular supply of Oxygen to the hospitals in the state; Other reliefs as may be deemed fit In the interim, the petitioner pleads for a direction to direct the state to re-fix tariff for the private hospital/nursing homes for the treatment of Covid-19 patients including charges of laboratories and Diagnostic Centers.