Action if govt hospitals reject patients over Covid-19 suspicion

The Health Ministry has warned of stern actions against directors and other high officials of government hospitals if they reject treatment to any patient on suspicions of having coronavirus infection. 

The government hospitals are not allowed to deny any patient seeking emergency treatment, said the ministry on Monday. 

An advisory, issued by the Health Service Division's Deputy Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, said general patients have been facing various difficulties seeking treatment in government hospitals since the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

Patients with kidney dialysis, heart related diseases, cancers and other critical diseases are being denied treatment in the hospitals. All government hospitals have to ensure separate health service facilities for suspected Covid-19 patient, the statement also reads. 

In case of referring any patient, the hospitals have to contact with the control rooms of the Covid-19 hospitals approved by the Health Directorate and ensure treatment of the patients there.

The treatment of the kidney dialysis, cancer, and heart patients, who have been taking treatment for long has to be continued. They must be given treatment if are referred from any Covid-19 hospital. 

Additional Secretary of the ministry Md Habibur Rahman told The Business Standard, "There is no scope to cancelling licence of government hospitals. But the directors and other officials with hospitals' operation will have to face actions."

Earlier, an advisory was issued on the same issue directing the country's private hospitals threatening of licence cancellation if they reject treatment to any patient.