COVID-19: Maha hospitals warned against turning away patients

Mumbai, Apr 30 () Maharashtra chief secretary AjoyMehta on Thursday directed all hospitals in the state not toturn away patients, as complaints were piling up againstseveral private hospitals and clinics for reportedly refusingto examine people.

While warning of strict action against those whodefied the Maharashtra government's directives, Mehta saidofficial orders would come into effect from May 2.

Considering the fact that the number of COVID-19cases continue to soar in the state, the chief secretarydirected all state-run and private hospitals not to turn awaypatients without examining them under any circumstances.

The government will also enforce directives to ensurethat results of COVID-19 tests come out within 12 hours ofsample collection and deceased COVID-19 patients are shiftedfrom hospital wards within 30 minutes, the senior officialsaid.

These orders can pose a major challenge, as results ofCOVID-19 tests were issued almost 48 hours after samplecollection and there have been instances where bodies ofdeceased patients were left unattended in wards for more thanfour hours.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope and MedicalEducation Minister Amit Deshmukh had brought up these issuesin the past.

Mehta also directed the authorities to dispose ofbodies of patients within 12 hour and follow definedguidelines and regulations while doing so.

As on Thursday morning Maharashtra COVID-19 figureswere as follows: Positive cases 9,915, new cases 597, deaths432, discharged 1,593, active cases 7,890 and people tested sofar 1,37,159. NDARU ARU