With private hospitals dilly dallying over providing beds for COVID-19 patients, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil has issued the final warning to managements to fall in line.
Chairing a meeting of the health task force and special teams formed to manage beds for COVID-19 patients in private hospitals here on Wednesday, Mr. Patil said that those who failed to cooperate with the government in fighting the pandemic would be dealt with seriously.
The Deputy Commissioner said that the government had asked the private hospitals to admit symptomatic patients on priority.
“Admission should be done as per the list disclosed by the private hospitals to the district administration. And, asymptomatic patients should be treated either at Covid Care Centres or should be asked to undergo home isolation,” he said.
Stating that no symptomatic patient should be sent back without providing treatment in private hospitals, Mr. Patil, however, clarified that the private hospitals should not claim that they had admitted asymptomatic patients and beds had been occupied.
The Deputy Commissioner said that the nodal officers appointed for management of beds should be alert round the clock and attend to grievances of COVID-19 positive patients.
They should also ensure that hospitals identified as COVID-19 hospitals reserved 50 % of beds for such patients, he added.
He further clarified that if any asymptomatic positive patient wanted to get treated in private hospitals, he should be shifted to the general ward and should not be allowed to occupy a bed reserved for symptomatic patients.
Referring to the practice of shifting COVID-19 patients from private hospitals to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi even when beds were available with them, Mr. Patil said that it was nothing but breach of COVID-19 treatment protocol and action would be taken in such cases.
The district administration has appointed 17 nodal officers for ensuring availability of beds for COVID-19 patients in private hospitals, he said.
Oxygen support
Meanwhile, the district administration has taken steps to provide oxygen support for 125 beds at the Civil Hospital in Dharwad and for 50 beds each at the taluk hospitals in Kundgol, Kalghatgi and Navalgund.