COVID-19: IMA issues 7-day ultimatum to Maharashtra on price cap move

The Indian Medical Association on Tuesday said it would stop work and hand over hospitals to the Maharashtra government to operate if the latter does not reverse a price cap decision in seven days. IMA state president Dr. Avinash Bhondave said the state government had capped rates at which services have to be rendered to COVID-19 patients by private hospitals while ignoring the steady rise in input costs, like clearing biomedical waste, as well as the purchase price of several items like PPE kits, N95 masks, and oxygen cylinders.

"We want rationalising of rates of health services extended to COVID-19 patients. If the state government not review its decision of capping prices for services within seven days, then we will stop work and hand over our hospitals to the state government to run," he said.

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The price cap decision had made the situation unviable for private hospitals, he said, adding that the IMA was holding talks on the issue with the government and was also looking at legal remedies. He also lashed out at the state bureaucracy claiming several COVID-19 combat steps recommended by the IMA during its meeting with state health minister Rajesh Tope were not implemented as yet.

He claimed IMA recommendations like asking the FDA to standardise PPE kits and N95 masks have not been implemented yet and blamed the bureaucracy for creating a shortage in the supply of oxygen cylinders.

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