‘Covid-19 or not, no one will be refused treatment’
Whether a patient is infected with Covid-19 or not, no hospital in Sylhet will refuse them treatment, said Private Hospital and Diagnostic Centre Owners Association yesterday.
The association came up with the decision after several people died in the city within the last couple of weeks after being turned away by hospitals. Dr Naseem Ahmed, president of the association, made the announcement at a press conference.
Stating that incidents of people being turned away were very unfortunate, the organisation also took three decisions in an emergency meeting on Sunday.
These decisions are: North East Medical College Hospital and Mount Adora Hospital (Akalia branch) will be dedicated for Covid-19 patients besides government hospitals; all private hospitals will provide primary treatment to suspected patients at isolation centres and will refer them to dedicated hospitals by arranging oxygen support; and as the cost of treatment at private hospitals is expensive, the association encourages Covid-19 patients to look for government hospitals.
The association also urged the government to promptly sign a contract with North East Medical College in this regard.
They said the hospital has already been given verbal permission by the health ministry and the patients' treatment cost should be covered by the government.
It also urged the government to offer incentives to doctors and nurses of private hospitals along with providing them with safety gears.
Since May 31 night, at least five persons have reportedly been turned away by private hospitals in Sylhet and died without treatment.
Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 positive patients in Sylhet is on the rise; 1,546 people tested positive in the division till yesterday while 35 persons died and 387 recovered.
Following several instructions of the respective departments, the Health Services Division (HSD) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, circulated an order on May 24 to start separate treatment facilities for Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients at all government and private hospitals with 50 or more beds.
Dr Himangshu Lal Roy, deputy director of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, said, "It is unfortunate that private hospitals turned away patients. There are instructions from the government to admit all kinds of patients and that order must be followed. The government hospitals are always open to all..."
Dr Anisur Rahman, assistant director of Sylhet Divisional Health Office, said following the directives of HSD, all hospitals have been notified multiple times. "But we cannot take steps against them without written complaints submitted by family members of the victims," he added.
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