The Rajasthan government on September 3 fixed rates for coronavirus treatment at private hospitals, keeping the charges at Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 9,900 a day.

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The decision has come amid reports that private hospitals were charging exorbitant fee for the treatment. According to a notification issued by the state Medical and Health Department, the cost of treatment in hospitals not certified by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has been kept at Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 9,000 per day.

In the NABL-accredited hospitals, the charges has been fixed at Rs. 5,500 to Rs. 9,900 a day. The treatment cost includes Rs. 1,200 of a PPE kit. In the notification, the government said on June 20, the department had fixed rates for the treatment of coronavirus at private hospitals of the state. But in that order, it was not clear which medicines or expenses are included. This new rate has been fixed to remove confusion, an official statement said.

According to the department, the state government is using the powers provided in Section 4 of Rajasthan Epidemic Ordinance, 2020 to fix the maximum cost of treatment for common people under the protocol prescribed for coronavirus-infected patients in private hospitals of the state. Hospitals have been asked to follow the notification, otherwise, action will be taken against them.