Hospitals Warned Of Action If Essential Services Denied

The Delhi government on Thursday warned hospitals and clinics, which are non-COVID-19 treatment facilities, especially those in private sector, of cancellation of registration “without further notice” if they deny essential critical services to people.

Such services include dialysis, blood transfusion, chemotherapy, and institutional deliveries.

Virus fear

An order issued by Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department, Padmini Singla, on Thursday said that some private hospitals are hesitating in providing critical services on account of “fear of contracting COVID-19” or are “keeping their hospitals, clinics closed”.

On April 24, the Delhi government had said that no patient who is reaching any non-COVID-19 hospital, other than with COVID-19 infection, should be denied treatment or admission.

On Thursday, the Secretary ordered all hospitals, clinics, especially those in private sectors, to remain functional and ensure no one is denied essential services.

“It has come to notice that some hospitals in the private sector, are hesitating in providing critical services, such as dialysis, blood transfusion, chemotherapy and institutional deliveries to their regular patients, either on account of fear of contracting COVID-19 or they are keeping their hospitals/clinics closed. It is also noticed that in many places the hospitals/clinics are insisting on a COVID-19 test before providing services,” the order read.

The Delhi government on Thursday reiterated the medical director of Lok Nayak Hospital and Director of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to make in-house dialysis facility operational on a 24X7 basis exclusively for COVID-19 patients.

An order issued by Ms. Singla, said that COVID-19 patients are finding it difficult to get their dialysis done, despite Lok Nayak Hospital being assigned to create enough in-house sufficient capacity through outsourced agency to serve all COVID-19 patients who needs dialysis.-The Hindu