Karnataka: Neta with a difference in a time of pandemic
Congressman and former Home Minister MB Patil’s Vijayapura hospital treats Covid patients for just 30% of govt rate
Examples: General bed Rs 3,000 per day, ICU bed Rs 8,000, Oxygen bed Rs 5,000
BENGALURU:
Almost 70% of Karnataka’s politicians run their own hospitals, but one who stands out from the rest in his approach to the pandemic crisis is former Home Minister MB Patil. The Congressman, who is MLA from Babaleshwar in Vijayapura, owns one of the biggest private hospitals in the state and has received widespread praise for providing Covid beds for just Rs 3,000 a day, as opposed to the government-fixed tariff of Rs 10,000. Moreover, the hospital has reserved around 500 beds for Covid patients.
BLDE Hospital raises bed capacity, cuts treatment cost for Covid patients
— M B Patil (@MBPatil) April 21, 2021
An emergency meeting was held with senior doctors and many vital decisions were made to provide better treatment to patients affected by Covid second wave.#FightAgainstCOVID19 pic.twitter.com/41a5AUHb6c
‘Not a time for profits’
Explaining his rationale, Patil, who owns BLDE Medical College and Hospital, said, “This is the time to offer service to the poor and not make money. The treatment cost for Covid patients is 70% less than the cost fixed by the government.”
The hospital has raised the number of Covid beds from 250 to 500, which includes 300 oxygen beds and 200 isolation beds. It also provides a range of diagnostic services, including CT scans and consultations. Further, the hospital has ensured that all emergency medicines, including Remdesivir, are available.
Other patients not neglected
The hospital has not neglected non-Covid patients, who have been allocated the remaining 600 beds. “Beds, food, medicine, surgery and standard diagnostic services are provided free of cost to non-Covid patients admitted to the general ward,” the hospital management said.
“BLDE Hospital is a non-profit organisation which is registered under the Society’s Act. Our elders had a vision to serve the people of this area. During the first wave of the pandemic too, we extended a helping hand to patients. In the current scenario, all kinds of economic activities are hampered. During such a time, making money is not ethical, and it’s time to provide service to the people,” Patil said.
Hi-tech services
“The government-run hospital does not have the required infrastructure, while we have a hi-tech facility which benefits not only people residing in Vijayapura but also people residing in neighbouring districts like Sangli and Solapur,” Patil added.
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