Covid-19 patients will get free medical treatment in private hospitals which enter into a contract with the Chhattisgarh government's Health Department.

This has been made possible under Dr Khoobchand Baghel Health Assistance Scheme and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).

The Health Department has permitted fixing the   treatment package with the private hospitals.

At present, based on the standards and facilities, 50 or more than 50-bed private hospitals have been granted permission.

With a large spike in Covid-19 cases in the state, Health and Family Welfare Minister T. S. Singh Deo has granted permission to extend free treatment to the Covid positive patients in private hospitals.

An official statement said the government will pay the private hospitals for treatment in general ward with isolation facilities Rs 2,200 a day, ICU without ventilator with isolation facilities Rs 3,750 per day and ICU with ventilator and isolation facilities Rs 6,750 a day.

A Technical Committee of the Health Department will inspect the existing facilities in the private hospitals and on their recommendation the hospital will get permission to treat Covid-19 cases.

The private hospitals will have to make separate arrangements for other patients. They will have to follow all the instructions and guidelines of the state government. The private hospital should have an arrangement to keep their staff in quarantine.

The order states that private hospitals signing a contract should have 10 percent ICU facilities against the total beds including ventilator and oxygen facilities. The hospital should have MBBS doctors and qualified experts on duty round the clock.