Covid positive report not required for hospitalisation:Health Ministry

The health ministry on Saturday has said that positive coronavirus disease report is no more mandatory for admission to Covid hospitals. The ministry took the decision to ensure that no patient is denied adequate medical care as the nation fights a severe second wave of Covid. The health ministry in a statement also reiterated that admission to the patient should not refused at any count even if the patient belongs to a different city and adequate medical arrangements, such as oxygen or essential drugs, should be administered to the patient. The health ministry said that a suspect case of Covid should be kept in the suspect ward of the Covid Care Center (CCC), Dedicated Covid Health Centre (DCHC) or Dedicated Covid Hospital (DCH). It also asked hospitals to not demand valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is located for admitting the patient.
Admissions to hospital must be based on need. It should be ensured that beds are not occupied by persons who do not need hospitalization." The statement said that these new rules are applicable to all government as well as private hospitals. "This patient-centric measure aims to ensure prompt, effective and comprehensive treatment of patients suffering from Covid." The ministry has asked chief secretaries of states and Union Territories to issue necessary orders and circulars and asked them to implement the new rules within the next three days. Health minister Dr Harshvardhan in his tweet update the new directives.

A significant directive has been issued to all States & UTs to ensure prompt, effective & comprehensive treatment of #COVID19 patients#COVID_19 positive test report NOT mandatory to get admitted at COVID health facility
⬇️https://t.co/pN7w7tcBa0@PMOIndia @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/bvujsMvE1d

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) May 8, 2021

Meanwhile, The Gujarat government has announced that carrying a COVID positive report will not be necessary for admission of patients to hospitals in the state. Before this, it was mandatory to carry such reports for admission in Gujarat hospitals.The state Health and Family Welfare Department issued a circular, in which it asked all the hospitals to "entertain and give treatment" to all those "suspected patients having symptoms" of coronavirus and stop insisting on a positive report.The circular asked hospitals to admit all the suspected COVID patients, whether coming in ambulances or in private vehicles.Several citizens had earlier complained that patients arriving at hospitals in vehicles other than the state-run ambulances (of 108 ambulance service) were being turned away.