New Delhi: Any private hospital or nursing home in the national capital that refuses emergent medical care amid the Covid-19 crisis will now face strict action, including cancellation of registration.
According to an order issued by the office of the Delhi government’s Directorate General of Health Services Wednesday, strict action will be taken against any defaulters, especially in the case of ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease) patients.
The order was issued after several cases of denial of treatment emerged across the city due to fears over Covid-19.
Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain had taken up the issue during review meetings, sources told ThePrint.
Why the order was issued
“…several private hospital and nursing homes equipped with dialysis machines and having a functional dialysis unit are denying MHD (Maintenance Haemodialysis) services to patients of ESRD,” noted the order, accessed by ThePrint.
Hospital authorities have been compelling patients to provide Covid-19 negative test reports before they are taken up for dialysis in their nursing homes, it said. “As a result, patients aren’t being dialysed leading to life threatening consequences.
“Any patient who is seeking treatment is not obligated to submit a COVID19 negative report for treatment,” the order said.
Even if a patient being treated for dialysis is found to be Covid-19 positive, the concerned nursing home or hospital shall not shutdown its dialysis unit beyond a period of 24 hours, said the order.
“They are only required to decontaminate the dialysis unit and the concerned machine for a day and thereafter the services must be resumed,” it added.
Any violation of these rules will invite immediate action, including cancellation of registration against the private nursing home or hospital under the Delhi Nursing Home Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2011.
So far, Delhi has reported 1,561 coronavirus cases and 32 deaths.
Also read: 5-hr sleep, limited PPE, bath outside home: Life of officers called back to aid hotspot Indore