Ten private hospitals for H1N1

Nineteen private hospitals had volunteered to treat influenza A (H1N1), or swine flu, patients. Of these, nine, among which rank the likes of Lilavati and Jagjivanram, failed to meet government norms and were consequently rejected on Friday.

While Lilavati wanted the isolation ward to be located in its refuge area, Jagjivanram proposed to set it up right in front of the paediatric ward. Neither proposal was acceptable to the government. Most of the others were rejected because they failed to separate the isolation ward from the centralised air conditioning system.

Ten hospitals have got the state government nod to start treating swine flu patients with immediate effect. Some of them are expected to start functioning in the next couple of days while others will take more time to get technically updated. These hospitals add 110 beds to the existing treatment infrastructure in the city.

The 10 hospitals will have separate units for positive and suspected H1N1 patients. “The suspected patients need to be kept at a safe distance from each other and adequate precautions will be taken. All private hospitals have agreed to provide separate units,” additional chief health secretary Sharvaree Gokhale said.

A health official said Lilavati Hospital’s proposal was immediately rejected by BMC’s chief secretary Johny Joseph. 

Mohan Rajan, spokesperson for Lilavati, refused to comment saying, “You should ask state government for the reasons.”

Other hospitals rejected by the government were Jaslok, Saifee, Prince Ali Khan, Asian Heart, Brahmakumari’s, Guru Nanak and Holy Family. The official added that there will be no need to rope in more private hospitals as the occupancy rate at Kasturba Hospital is only 30% while it is less than 15% at JJ.

Gokhale added that the private hospitals will be provided with Tamiflu free of charge, and other charges will be borne by the patients. However, both private and public insurance companies have indicated that they will pick up the tab, even in the case of confirmed H1N1 cases. “We do have a product to take care of hospitalisation expenses for several diseases, including H1N1, since it is just another form of flu,” said Krishnamoorthy Rao, chief operating officer, Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited. On doubts being raised about the validity of medical insurance in times of pandemic, Rao said, “No company can deny paying the mediclaim amount to H1N1 patients.”

Meanwhile, private pathological laboratories will start testing samples of suspected swine flu cases from next week after the Union government on Friday conducted an orientation programs for six laboratories apprising them of the guidelines for conducting the tests.

Officials from National Institute of Communicable Diseases and Ministry of Health told the private labs about handling the samples and other logistics. Representatives from six private labs Super Religare Laboratories, Lal Path Labs, Quest diagnostic, Piramal Diagnostic, Auroprobe Laboratories and Era Health were present.

Super Religare Laboratories (SRL) said it is ready to conduct swine flu tests at Rs4,000, while the government claims it spends nearly Rs.10,000 for testing a swine flu patient’s sample, which it does not pass on to the patient. “We are fully prepared for the screening of H1N1 in all our laboratories in the country and are only waiting for the green signal from the government. We have lowered our prices as we see this as an opportunity to serve the nation,” said Sanjeev K. Chaudhry, chief executive of Super Religare Laboratories. “We have adequate amount of testing kits available with us with a team of renowned doctors at both Mumbai and Gurgaon.”

Private help at hand

Bombay Hospital, Breach Candy, Harkisandas, Hinduja, Holy Spirit, Kokilaben D Ambani, Nanavati, Hiranandani, Wockhardt, Inlaks Stock of Tamiflu by Saturday

The state government said that it will get the first stock of Tamiflu from the central government by Saturday. “We have requested for 15,000 doses and the first stock will be delivered soon,” additional chief health secretary Gokhale said.