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INDORE/RAIPUR: With the Covid-19 outbreak showing no sign of abating, the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments have invoked a British-era law to acquire private hospitals to battle the pandemic. The Indore administration took over two such hospitals on Friday. The commercial hub accounts for nearly half of the state’s 29 cases and one of two deaths.

“On the orders of collector Lokesh Kumar Jatav, Gokuldas Hospital and Vishesh Hospital have been acquired for treatment of Covid-19 infected patients,” said Indore chief medical officer Dr Pravin Jadia, adding that this was done under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. The law was enacted on February 4, 1897, to battle a bubonic plague outbreak in Mumbai.

“We have a 60-bed treatment facility in state-run MRTB Hospital and a 150-bed quarantine in Jagadguru Dattatreya Hospital. The 450-bed MTH Hospital is being used as an isolation facility,” said the CMHO, adding that 18 private hospitals have been authorised to treat the disease.

“There is a difference between ‘authorising’ and ‘acquiring’ a private hospital for treatment of a disease. Private hospitals acquired by the administration will be dedicated only for treatment of a particular disease while authorised hospitals can treat other patients along with those of Covid-19,” explained Dr Jadia. Medical and other staff of private hospitals will be roped in. Neighbouring Chhattisgarh has acquired the privately owned Raipur Institute of Medical College.

