HYDERABAD: Taking cognisance of the fact that many Arogyashri patients were being turned away by private hospitals amid the lockdown, Leader of Opposition Akbaruddin Owaisi requested the state government to include a COVID-19 related package in the scheme.
Akbar, who was addressing a press conference, said that the Directorate of Medical Education has issued guidelines making it mandatory for the visiting patients to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). He also noted that as the Arogyashri patients are mostly underprivileged, they do not have access to such precautions. Akbar said the hospitals are sending the patients away citing this as a reason.
In context to this he said: “Arogyashri’s rates have not been revised despite the directions by DME. I request the State government to include a COVID-19 package and allocate a sum for the same in the Arogyashri scheme.”
He requested Eatala to look into the issue and also to take action against hospitals who were refusing to treat Arogyashri patients. Apart from that Akbar said that the government has to do more COVID tests, but meanwhile he acknowledged that it was not possible to conduct tests on everyone.