Lately reports of people being denied treatment in few non-COVID Odisha hospitals has surged anger and fear amongst the habitants of thw state. To ease things out, the state government has issued an order directing all healthcare facilities to assure the access of essential medical services to those in need. The directive published by the health department moreover stated that emergency procedure should not be withheld or deferred over COVID-19 fright.
“No patient shall be denied healthcare service and no life-threatening emergency procedure or ton the grounds of be deferred on the grounds of suspicion of COVID-19 infection. It is our duty to provide immediate and proper treatment to all patients during the pandemic,” the health department said in its published order.
“Screen all patients, all SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection), ILI(Influenza-like illness), or other persons along with their attendants as soon as they enter the hospital. When a positive case is detected in any unit of the hospital, the other patients in that room must be temporarily shifted to another ward. They can move back once the unit has been sanitized. This apart, staff members posted in isolation wards should refrain from working in other sections of the hospital,” the department added.