After several instances of critical non- COVID-19 patients dying following denial of treatment, the Odisha government has warned private hospitals to remain functional and provide essential care to needy ones.
“It has come to our notice that some hospitals in the private sector are hesitating to provide critical care 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 closed,” said the Directorate of Health Service (DHS) in an order.
Also read: Coronavirus | Non-COVID-19 patients find care out of reach at Mumbai hospitals
The order said many hospitals were insisting on a COVID-19 test before treatment.
Asserting that it was unacceptable, the DHS said that every non-COVID-19 hospital should keep a designated isolation unit to accommodate critically ill suspected COVID-19 patients until their conditions were stabilized to transfer to COVID hospitals after testing.
Also read:Do not ignore non-COVID-19 medical emergencies, writes Kauvery Hospital Executive Director
As per the order, private hospitals were directed to remain functional and ensure that anyone needing any essential critical service including dialysis, blood transfusion, chemotherapy and institutional deliveries is not denied such service.
The government warned that non-compliance would be viewed seriously and action as per provision of law, including cancellation of registration of defaulting hospitals or nursing home, would be initiated without further notice.
It needs to be mentioned that a senior citizen who was a chronic kidney disease was denied dialysis by Cuttack-based private hospitals on April 10 last.
While disposing a public interest litigation with regards to the denial of dialysis, the Orissa High Court recently directed the State government to ensure that no person was denied treatment of any ailment by any government and private hospital.
Earlier this week, private hospitals had allegedly not paid proper attention to a man with chest pain. The man died while his daughter rushed him from one hospital to another in Bhubaneswar.
