West Bengal govt asks pvt hospitals to resume normal services

With reports showing that patients who are in need of regular critical care are being refused treatment during the lockdown, West Bengal Health Department issued directives to private hospitals and healthcare facilities to resume normal services in a planned manner on Friday.

Kolkata: The West Bengal Health Department on Friday issued directives to private hospitals and healthcare facilities to resume normal services in a planned manner.

Ensuring the safety, protection and comfort of the medical staff engaged in such facilities need the highest priority, it said.

There are reports that patients in need of regular critical care related to blood transfusion, dialysis, chemotherapy, obstetric care, institutional deliveries, immunisation are facing hardship due to private hospitals and healthcare facilities either remaining non-functional or turning away patients out of fear of contracting COVID-19.

"Some hospitals are insisting on COVID-free certificates before allowing the patients in. This situation needs to be redressed immediately," the department said in a notification.

Failure to adhere to the directive shall make the health facilities concerned liable for penal action, it added.

PTI