Party: Prevent COVID-19 hospitals from going under

May 21 , 2020

On May 20, Komeito House of Representatives member Shinichi Isa called on Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato to step up state assistance to specially designated-hospitals treating patients COVID-19 that are experiencing financial difficulty.

Speaking at a Lower House’s Health, Labor and Welfare committee hearing, Isa pointed out that such hospitals are losing an average of 120 million yen every month, according to an industry survey, while the government has capped financial aid to 100 million yen. He urged the ministry to expand eligibility for the interest- and collateral-free loans and to backstop priority financing for these medical facilities.