Private hospitals were asked to reserve 50 percent of beds for Covid treatment: CM Vijayan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the private hospitals were asked to reserve 50 percent of beds for Covid treatment. Efforts are being made to make as many private hospitals as possible part of the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padathi (KASP). If a week ago there were 106 hospitals, now 150 hospitals have been made part of KASP. The CM requested that more hospitals be prepared to be part of the scheme. In that case, he said, the government would be able to pay for the treatment of more people seeking treatment in private hospitals.

KASP now operates under the State Health Authority, which was formed in June 2020. The government has not withheld the amount due to any hospital through KASP. About Rs 80 crore worth of treatment has already been done. Therefore, he said, more hospitals should come forward and empanel with the State Health Authority to bring the benefits of the KASP project to more people.