New SOP for private hospitals in Jharkhand, no referrals allowed after Covid-19 infection

Ranchi: The health, medical education and family welfare department of Jharkhand has issued a new SOP for the private hospitals operating in the state. This SOP disallows referral of any patient who tests positive for Covid-19 during treatment in any private hospital. The private hospitals will now have to treat the Covid-19 patients and will not be allowed to refer the patients to government hospitals.

The SOP mentions that several private hospitals are unwilling to treat Covid-19 patients and once any patient is found positive, they are immediately referred to government hospitals.

The SOP says that this is violation of the rights of choice of the patients to be treated at their desired hospital. It says that many times it has been found that patients suspected of being Covid-19 positive are discharged without informing the district administration.

The SOP makes it mandatory for the private hospitals to create an isolation ward. Hospitals with up to 50 beds would have to keep at least five beds for Covid-19 patients, while those with more than 50 beds will have to create an isolation ward with a minimum of ten beds. They will also have to ensure that they have at least two ventilators and adequate number of PPE kits and N-95 masks.

The SOP directs the private hospitals of the state to inform the district administration immediately if any patient is suffering from breathing difficulties. It says that there should be a screening facility in OPD of all hospitals and if any symptomatic patient is found, the district administration be informed immediately.