Kathmandu, Oct. 9 -- Last week, a 43-year-old man from Maharajgunj, Kathmandu tested positive for Covid-19. The man with pre-existing health conditions-diabetic and overweight-feared infection and was rushed to hospital despite showing only mild symptoms-fever and body ache.

The man reached a private hospital, after being unable to find a bed in state-run Covid hospitals. According to Dr Sagar Rajbhandari, director at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, he was forced to pay Rs 40,000 a day.

"Having paid over Rs 80,000 in two days, the patient came to our hospital. He complained that he was charged excessively for only sleeping in a general bed," Rajbhandari told the Post.

With the number of coronavirus cases starting to ...