Odisha govt warns private hospitals of "serious action" if non-COVID patients are denied admission

Be informed government action against wrongdoers will be serious," Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said in a tweet. As the 14-day lockdown came into force in Ganjam, Khurda, Jajpur and Cuttack districts and Rourkela city from Friday night, Tripathy asked officials to strictly implement the norms without making any compromise regarding public health.

The Odisha government on Saturday warned private hospitals of "serious action" over reports of denying health services to non-COVID patients from corona hotspots in the state, officials said. There have been allegations of private hospitals not admitting patients from districts such as Ganjam, Khurda, Jajpur, Cuttack and Balasore in the last few days.

"Patients needing medicare at hospitals/clinics need urgent attention. Some private hospitals have reportedly been reluctant in admitting patients from hotspots districts. Its ethically wrong and illegal. Be informed government action against wrongdoers will be serious," Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said in a tweet.

As the 14-day lockdown came into force in Ganjam, Khurda, Jajpur and Cuttack districts and Rourkela city from Friday night, Tripathy asked officials to strictly implement the norms without making any compromise regarding public health. "This phase of lockdown is entirely driven by the principles of public health based on medical and clinical science and hence, there should not be any relaxation in implementation at the ground level," an official release said.

Tripathy said the entire state administrative machinery in lockdown areas have been directed to intensify surveillance, testing, tracing, isolation and treatment during this period. Intensive awareness activities should also be undertaken for motivating people to come forward and get tested if symptoms surface, he added.