Govt signed MoU with private hospital to battle coronavirus pandemic: Nausheen Hamid

ISLAMABAD, Jun 11 (APP):Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr. Nausheen Hamid Thursday said that the federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading private hospitals in the country to combat the coronavirus pandemic and to facilitate patients of coronavirus with free treatment.
Talking to PTV news channel, she said health department and leading private hospitals in capital have finally reached an agreement, according to which these private health facilities will treat needy and deserving COVID-19 patients at the government’s expense.
Ministry of health is under discussion with the private hospitals in this regard which would be implement soon, she said, adding, any patient who will be refereed from government hospitals to private hospital to get free of cost health facilities there.
She said that these private hospitals would established separate COVID-19 wards with HDUs, ICUs and ventilators and all these health facilities have their own laboratories for the testing and diagnosis of
COVID-19.
Nausheen explained that needy COVID-19 patients would be referred to private facilities once all the beds at the public and charity hospitals were filled.
Replying a Question related to capacity, she said we have increased our capacity in government hospitals with increase number of beds, wards and ventilators.
However, on the other hand, the capacity of coronavirus patients are less than government hospitals and no doubt in private hospitals they have just limited space for Covid-19 patients, she added.
We are attending NCOC meetings where we are discussing and preparing new strategies to increase further capacity of coronavirus facilities in federal hospitals and further direction were also given to other provinces as well, she mentioned.
She asked public to have more trust on government hospitals as they have more capacity and well treatment for coronavirus patients, adding, the government was taking every step necessary to protect people from the corona virus and the Health Advisory issued for coronavirus prevention is being strictly implemented.
She said until the World Health Organization (WHO) becomes able to get coronavirus vaccine developed, the Governor said every citizens needed to combat corona, while staying at home and avoid non-scientific methods of corona treatment circulating on social media.
“Federal government is committed to providing quality health care within the country and outside through promoting the service sector”, she added.
In another Question, she said like other Mafias private hospital mafia is also taking advantage of this situation and fleecing patients with high rates but government preparing strategy to deal with mafia.