The directive came following complaints by some employees that in some of the empanelled hospitals, the hospital administration is not attending coronavirus patients when they visit there.
So far, 72 employees of the civic body have tested positive for the novel coronavirus while four deaths have been reported.
"It has been reported by some of the employees that in some of the empanelled hospitals, the hospital administration is not attending coronavirus patients when they visit the hospitals. Either they are showing their inability or they are insisting the employees for making cash payment despite the facts that there is cashless treatment agreement with hospitals and labs under the Liberalised Medical Health Scheme for our employees," a senior civic body official said.
"The action of such hospitals and diagnostic labs is the violation of terms and conditions of the agreement entered in to with NDMC and protocol of ICMR. This has been viewed very seriously by the NDMC higher authority and issued the strict directions to the empanelled hospitals and labs," the official added.
The NDMC has already approved the treatment of COVID-19 to beneficiaries of its Liberalized Medical Health Scheme in all empanelled hospitals, labs and diagnostic centres who shall treat NDMC beneficiaries at CGHS rates of conservative management for COVID-19. And thereafter, hospitals or labs raise the bill item wise calculation of expenditure to the NDMC.
"We have also approved the medical facility for all contractual and muster roll employees working in the NDMC for a period of three months as a welfare measure for reimbursement of expenditure on treatment of COVID-19 only," the official said. GJS KJ