The patient who remained hospitalized for 26 days has paid an approximate sum of Rs 22 lakh. But, cost is a constraint in using advanced interventions such as ECMO that itself adds Rs 5-7 lakh to the overall treatment package. The study found that the expenditure for patients of H1N1 ranged from Rs10,004 up to Rs 19,85,428. "The hospital cost is an important reminder for the government to invest in awareness and vaccination drives. The average cost of hospitalization has been around Rs 1-2 lakh," said Sanjay Datta, chief underwriting claims and reinsurance , ICICI Lombard.

Source: Economic Times August 28, 2017 03:56 UTC