Private hospitals have said they cannot allot 20 percent of beds for COVID-19 management as instructed by the Health Ministry.
The Health Emergency Operation Center at the ministry issuing a statement on Friday had appealed to the private hospitals to keep 20 percent of beds for COVID-19 management citing lack of hospital beds with cases rising in recent times.
"Private hospitals are ready to treat COVID-19 patients but the government decision is not practical," General Secretary of the Association of Private Health Institutions Nepal Hem Raj Dahal said.
He argued that all the hospitals should not be asked to allot beds for treatment of COVID-19 patients. "Some hospitals treat only heart or kidney patients. What will happen if COVID-19 patients are admitted in such hospitals?" he asked. "If anyone of us are ready, we should use such hospitals."
Pointing that some of the private hospitals lack adequate infrastructure, he claimed that the government took an immature decision without even considering such facts.
"We have submitted a list saying 1,000 COVID-19 patients can be treated. KIST, Ganeshman, Sarvanga and other hospitals are ready to treat infected patients. The government should first allow implementation of such things."
He claimed that the ministry did not even consult private hospitals before taking the decision.
Senior Vice-president of APHIN Kumar Thapa also argued that COVID-19 and other patients should not be treated together in the same hospital. "Only those hospitals that say they are ready should be allowed to treat COVID-19 patients. Treating the COVID-19 and other patients together in a single hospital will increase risks and the situation will become chaotic," Thapa said.
He pointed that the private hospitals have been referring infected patients to designated COVID-19 hospitals. Teku, Patan and APF hospitals are the designated hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley.
These designated hospitals have been stretched due to the surging cases in recent times and the ministry took the decision to alleviate pressure on such hospitals.
But the private hospitals are dallying to comply saying the decision was taken without consulting them.
Experts also say COVID-19 and other patients should not be treated in the same hospital. "That will raise risks. Other hospitals will face difficulty to handle the practical aspects even though they may have necessary knowledge," infectious disease expert Dr Sher Bahadur Pun said.
He pointed that use of the same door by COVID-19 and other patients may lead to problems for people with chronic diseases. "Infected persons, therefore, have been treated building temporary structures in stadia and open spaces even in America and Europe," he added.
He conceded that the government has taken the step as the designated government hospitals could not bear the pressure of surging cases but added that trying other alternatives would be appropriate.
