Private hospitals to lose licence for turning away emergency patients
Each private hospital or clinic should have separate facilities to treat suspected Covid-19 patients, says the health ministry
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday said any private hospital or clinic refusing to treat emergency patients despite having treatment facilities will lose their licence.
All hospitals have been sent directives in this regard, reads a press release. According to the directives, each private hospital or clinic should have separate facilities to treat suspected Covid-19 patients.
Hospitals will not be allowed to turn away emergency patients.
Moreover, if a hospital wants to refer a patient to a dedicated coronavirus treatment hospital, it has to make sure that the dedicated hospital will accept the patient by first calling the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Control Room.
Hospitals will have to continue treating patients undergoing dialysis or treatment for other diseases, unless they get diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.
If any hospital does not follow the directives, it will lose the licence. The ministry will also take other disciplinary actions, the press release further adds.