Health ministry makes public telephone numbers for hospital beds

The health ministry makes public telephone numbers for hospital beds. People can call hotline numbers: 1133 or 9851255837 and 9851255839.

The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has made public a hotline number and mobile numbers for people who are looking for beds in hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

People who are in need of beds for treatment of COVID patients can call hotline number 1133 or they can contact 9851255837 and 9851255839. The ministry has said that the numbers will be in operation 24 hours a day.

Since there have been reports that the hospital beds that were separated for the treatment of patients infected with the coronavirus there has been a sort of panic among the general public.

In fact, NepalNews had earlier reported about how Deepesh Paul Thakur, who works as a Director for Local to Global Advocacy and Impact at World Vision International, had to run from pillar to post to get his mother admitted due to lack of beds in hospitals treating COVID patients. It was only after a lot of hassle and making calls to various people that Thakur was finally able to admit his mother at Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj.

It is a good move taken by the Ministry of Health and Population to make public telephone numbers where people can call and get information regarding the availability of beds to treat their near and dear ones. However, another problem that has been surfacing now is the exorbitant fee that some private hospitals are charging for the treatment of COVID patients.

The ministry has issued a statement announcing that it will take action against those hospitals that have been charging very high fees for the treatment of patients infected with coronavirus. Assistant Spokesperson of the ministry, Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, on Wednesday, said that such hospitals will be penalised on the basis of complaints received at the ministry and local administration. However, the ministry needs to act fast because there are already hundreds of COVID patients in various hospitals who are paying outrageous sums of money.