BBMP Notice to 36 Pvt Hospitals in Bengaluru for Not Allocating 50% Beds for Govt-referred Covid Patients

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) on Wednesday issued show-cause notices to 36 private hospitals in the city for not making available 50 per cent of the mandated number of beds for government-referred coronavirus-infected patients.

In an order dated June 23, it was decided that half of the beds in private medical establishments shall be reserved for the treatment of patients referred by the public health authority (in this case, BBMP) for the requisitioning of hospitals for government patients.

However, many of these establishments have not complied with the order and the list includes private hospitals like BSG Global, Apollo Hospital (Benerghatta and Sheshadaripuram) and Narayana Hrudalaya Pvt Ltd.

Hospitals are categorised based on the number of bed occupancy. As many as 21 hospitals that have more than 100 beds have defaulted. These include many of the reputed hospitals in the city like– Apollo Hospital, Bangalore Baptist Hospital, Chris Super Speciality Hospital, HBS Hospital Trust, Medihope Hospital, Nandana health Care Services, Narayana Hrudalaya pvt Ltd, New Janapriya Super Speciality, Santosh Hospital, SHIFAA Hospital, SI Vega Hospital, Speciality Health System, BSG Global, Sagar Hospital Jayanagar, manipal hospital, Vikram Hospital & Sakra hospital.

Among the hospitals that had to dedicate between 50 and 100 beds, 10 have defaulted. These include Ramaiah Harsha Hospital, healthcare Global Enterprise, Suraksha Hospital Yelahanka, NU Hospital Pvt Ltd and Republic Hospital. Another five hospitals which were supposed to dedicate 20 to 50 beds have also been issued notices.

One of the defaulters BSG Global Hospital had to dedicate 50 beds towards government referrals. Of these 40 beds were to be given in the general ward, five ICU beds and five ICU beds with ventilators.

In its notice, the BBMP said, “Patients who were sent even after blocking beds on the online portal of BBMP were turned away stating unavailability of beds. This could either mean beds which were supposed to be reserved for government are being allocated to private patients.”

The private hospitals have now been given 48 hours to file compliance report to the BBMP commissioner failing which action would be initiated under Section 15 of the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act which could result in suspension of registration and further fine and imprisonment of officials concerned. Action would also be taken under provisions of the Disaster Management Act.