The Punjab Healthcare Commission has imposed a fine of Rs 0.5 million each on three well-known private hospitals in Lahore for over-charging from the Covid-19 patients.

These hospitals included National Hospital (DHA), Evercare Hospital (Nespak Society) and Farooq Hospital (Westwood Colony). Besides imposing a fine of Rs0.5 million each – maximum as per the PHC Act 2010 – their administrators have been directed to reimburse the extra money charged to all the patients falling in this category within 15 days and submit their compliance reports in this regard, to PHC office within 30 days.

Read more: Covid-19 update: Karachi reports high positivity ratio

It is pertinent to mention here that in June 2020, the Commission had already directed all the Covid-19 treating hospitals of the province to treat these patients as per the rates of February 2020. The PHC’s spokesperson has also added that the Commission would continue to visit other Covid-treating hospitals of the province as well to ensure their compliance to the PHC directions.

Meanwhile, Karachi is once again witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases as the positivity ratio has crossed 20% in the past few days, data shared by National Institute of Health (NIH) revealed.

As per details, after conducting 650 tests of Covid positivity, 138 returned positive in the metropolitan city. The cases have seen a rise due to a sub-variant of the virus.

The country is standing at a positivity rate of 2.14% with 268 positive cases and one death in the past 24 hours. 74 patients in critical care are recorded.