Amid an alarming situation of the COVID-19 in India, the Union Health Ministry today announced a revised national policy for admission of COVID-19 patients to COVID facilities. As per the ministry, henceforth requirement of a positive test for COVID-19 virus is not mandatory for admission to a COVID health facility.
It also said that a suspect case of COVID-19 shall be admitted to the suspect ward of CCC, DCHC or DHC as the case may be. "No patient will be refused services on any count. This includes medications such as oxygen or essential drugs even if the patient belongs to a different city." it added.
Amid the ongoing crisis in various where the patients are turned back from hospitals, the Centre now has assured that no patient shall be refused admission on the ground that he/she is not able to produce a valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is located. "Admissions to hospital must be based on need", added the Centre. It said that the discharge should be strictly in accordance with its revised discharge policy.
The Union Health Ministry has advised the Chief Secretaries of States/Union territories to issue necessary orders and circulars, incorporating the above directions within three days, which shall be enforced till replaced by an appropriate uniform policy.
Functional hospitals which may be handling regular, non-COVID cases may also be designated as COVID Care Centres as a last resort, it said. The ministry further stated that dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC) that shall offer care for all cases that have been clinically assigned as moderate, adding that these should either be a full hospital or a separate block in a hospital with preferably separate entry/exit/zoning.
"Private hospitals may also be designated as COVID Dedicated Health Centres. These hospitals would have beds with assured Oxygen support, it said, adding that dedicated COVID Hospital (DCH) that shall offer comprehensive care primarily for those who have been clinically assigned as severe," the ministry said.
Meanwhile, India on May 8 reported 4,01,078 fresh COVID-19 cases, according to the union health ministry. The cumulative number of cases in the country has now gone up to 2,18,92,676.
