Cases against two Delhi hospitals for turning away COVID patients
Cases were registered against two hospitals in Delhi on Sunday for turning away COVID-19 patients, a day after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned them of strict action if found giving wrong information about the availability of beds. Complaints about filing the FIRs against the hospitals under the Disaster Management Act was earlier filed by the Delhi government at police stations concerned, an official said.
Legal action was sought against the two hospitals, one in south Delhi and another in Janakpuri, for putting out wrong information on the availability of COVID beds on the Delhi Corona app, an official statement said.
"The hospitals put out information saying that they have COVID beds available but later denied patients, saying no beds were available," it stated.
Police said an FIR was registered against Mata Chanan Devi Hospital in west Delhi's Janakpuri on the complaint of Bhoop Singh, Tehsildar, Dwarka for allegedly denying beds to coronavirus patients despite availability.
The Delhi Corona Patient Portal showed there were 93 beds available at Mata Chanan Devi Hospital for corona patients but it still denied beds to patients, saying they were not available, said Prashant Gautam, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (West).
Another FIR was registered against HAHC hospital in Hamdard Nagar on the complaint of SDM, Kalkaji (Southeast) Vinod Yadav.
The FIR stated that the hospital had been denying beds to COVID positive patients, police said.
"This fact was verified with the help of a decoy customer who approached the hospital but was denied admission. He was told that no bed was available whereas the Delhi Corona app showed 239 beds available in the hospital," said Atul Kumar Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).
Kejriwal in a review meeting on Saturday had directed officials to take stern action against hospitals putting out wrong information about availability of beds.
He had said every hospital should ensure correct information on bed availability on the Delhi government app, and also on LED boards there.
The app shows real-time availability of COVID beds in hospitals. It is updated by each concerned hospital.
The Delhi government has appointed senior officials at these hospitals to monitor bed availability.
A complaint was received against a South Delhi hospital that it denied admission to the patients claiming no bed were available although the app showed 239 unoccupied beds there, said the government statement.
The app showed the availability of 93 beds at the Janakpuri hospital yet the patients were turned down, it added.
1,400 to 2,000 beds to be readied for COVID-19 patients in two days: Kejriwal
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that 1,400 to 2,000 beds will be readied for COVID-19 patients in the city in the next two days, as the city grappled with a shortage of oxygen and beds amid a surge in coronavirus cases. He visited the Yamuna Sports Complex and Commonwealth Games Village to inspect the progress being made in setting up COVID care centres there.
Delhi on Sunday recorded the biggest jump in its daily COVID-19 tally with 25,462 fresh cases, while the positivity rate shot up to 29.
74 per cent, meaning almost every third sample being tested in the city is turning out to be positive.
Deputy Chief Minister and nodal minister for COVID Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain also visited various hospitals and facilities.
"We are arranging maximum oxygen beds for the people. Between 1,400-2,000 beds will become available in the next two days," Kejriwal said during the visit.
He has also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for augmenting oxygen-supported beds in Delhi hospitals in view of the rising number of serious COVID-19 patients.
COVID-19 cases in Delhi have been increasing rapidly in the last few days, due to which the number of available beds is fast decreasing, he said.
"We are arranging additional beds at Yamuna Sports Complex and Commonwealth Games Village and several schools in Delhi."
The chief minister said 500 beds each are being prepared at Yamuna Sports Complex and Commonwealth Games Village, while 100 beds are being set up at a Delhi government school.
"We do not want the situations we saw in other cities and countries. Patients should not be denied medical held neither should they be left lying in corridors or roads," he said.
Sisodia said in view of the shortage of oxygen at hospitals, a new oxygen plant will be started in the next two days. Radha Soami Satsang Beas premises will house 5,000 oxygen-supported beds, he said after a visit to the facility.
Visiting a makeshift COVID facility prepared by the DRDO, he said it will have 500 ventilator-equipped ICU beds. Out of these, admission of patients on 250 beds will start from Monday, he said.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said some people choose to stay at hospitals despite getting discharge permission from doctors. He appealed to them to leave the beds for seriously ill patients.
At Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital in Narela, Sisodia said the number of beds there will increase to 400 in the next two days. Currently, there are 130 beds at the hospital.
