‘In emergency, patients from anywhere have to be admitted’

At a time several patients needing emergency treatment are being turned away by hospitals, Noida district magistrate Suhas LY speaks to TOI on the guidelines to be followed. Excerpts:
What are the guidelines for non-Covid emergency patients?
Clear instructions have been given to all hospitals that no emergency patient can be denied treatment. Hospitals should not be turning away patients, it is their basic duty. Action will be taken against such hospitals. They should create an isolated area like a flu corner and screen every patient. If someone is symptomatic, treatment has to be initiated immediately on the assumption that he is Covid-positive. All hospitals have been trained by GIMS on how to treat emergency patients.
What should a hospital do if an emergency patient is from outside the district?
If there is an emergency, a patient from anywhere has to be admitted and given treatment in keeping with the Covid protocol.
What if an emergency patient turns out to be positive during treatment?
This should not be a problem. We have asked the state government to allow all hospitals capable of handling Covid patients to have an isolation ward.