Covid hospital shall offer comprehensive care primarily for those who have been clinically assigned as severe. (Reuters)
NEW DELHI: All central and state government hospitals managing Covid patients have been directed to ensure that no patient is refused admission due to lack of a valid identity card and a positive test report for coronavirus, the Centre has told the Supreme Court.
In an affidavit on the points raised by the top court, the Centre submitted that the ministry of health and family welfare has intimated all state governments regarding the policy of setting up three-tier Health infrastructure for appropriate management of suspect/ confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Positive Covid test report now optional for hospitalisation, says Centre ‘Suspected cases to be admitted at respective units, admissions must be based on needs’
In a significant directive to the states and Union Territories, the Union Health Ministry on Saturday said the requirement of a positive Covid-19 test report is not mandatory for admission to a health facility.
In its revised national policy for admission of Covid patients to various dedicated health facilities, both public and private, the Union Health Ministry said no patient will be refused services on any account, including oxygen and essential drugs, even if he or she belongs to a different city.
In a relief to patients, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday revised the national policy for admission of Covid patients to various categories of Covid facilities. This patient-centric measure aims to ensure prompt, effective and comprehensive treatment of patients suffering from Covid-19, the ministry said. According to the revised policy, requirement of a positive test for Covid-19 virus is not mandatory for admission to a Covid health facility. A suspect case must be admitted to the suspect ward of Covid Care Center (CCC), Dedicated Covid Health Centre (DCHC) or Dedicated Covid Hospital (DHC) as the case may be.