Sunrise Hospital at Changaramkulam and Malappuram, in Kerala, a private facility, has decided to give free COVID treatment to all walk-in patients for one year. It is one of the first private hospital in the state that made the decision. The patients who are referred by the state government will be charged as per the KASP rates and their treatment bill will be forwarded to the government.

Dr Hafeez Rahman Padiyath, who is a founder and chairman of Sunrise Group of Hospitals said that the hospitals has 100 beds for COVID patients that includes ICU, ventilators, and dialysis units. They have decided to become a 100% free Covid centre. There willbe no billing counter in the COVID facility at the hospital and everything will be free for the patients, including food also.

The high court had to intervene following the allegations of overcharging done by the private hospitals were increasing. Sunrise Hospital was primarily charging for COVID treatment until three days ago. Dr Hafeez said that many patients are not able to afford COVID treatment. The actual treatment is very expensive for poor patients. Their hospital has made enough money and hence decided to give fully free treatment for the next 1 year.

Presently, there are 60 COVID patients admitted in the hospital, out of them few have been referred by the government beneath the state insurance rates. Dr Hafeez further said that the decision has brought a lot of happiness in all the people in the hospital —both patients as well as staff. It is worth all the money they have spent.

Source: ET Healthworld