Uttar Pradesh government to bear cost of COVID-19 patients' treatment at private hospital

Lucknow, Apr 26: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the concerned officers to ensure that no government or private hospital denies admission to any COVID-19 patients if beds are available.

In an order, the Uttar Pradesh government said, "If a bed is not available in a government hospital, the patient should be sent to a private hospital."

The state government also announced that if the patient referred by a government hospital is not able to bear the expenses of the private hospital, it will bear their treatment cost as per the rates approved under Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Earlier, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that there is an "oxygen emergency" in the State and advised CM Yogi Adityanath to recognise the seriousness of the situation.

In a tweet, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Chief Minister, there is oxygen emergency all over Uttar Pradesh. You have to put a case on me, seize the property, so do. But for the sake of god, recognise the seriousness of the situation and immediately start the work of saving the lives of the people."

Her remarks came after Yogi Adityanath, on Saturday, had said that his government will conduct an audit of the life-saving gas in collaboration with various institutes.

"There is no shortage of oxygen in any Covid hospital, be it private or government. The problem is black marketing and hoarding, which will be tackled with a heavy hand. We are going to conduct an oxygen audit in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IIM Lucknow and IIT BHU for proper monitoring of medical oxygen. The system of live tracking of oxygen demand, supply and distribution will be implemented," the chief minister had said.