Delhi files police case against private hospitals for violating COVID-19 guidelines

New Delhi : The Delhi government on Saturday filed a police complaint against the private hospitals for allegedly violating the COVID-19 guidelines by denying admission to symptomatic patients.

The First Information Report or FIR was filed against unknown functionaries at the private hospital on a complaint by the Deputy Secretary of the Delhi government's Health Department.

According to the complaint, while the government had made it mandatory for registering coronavirus tests on an official software programme, authorities at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) were not doing so.

It was found that the RT-PCR app, developed by the central government, was not being used even on June 3 at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the complaint alleged.

The government had made it mandatory for the hospitals to update the data on coronavirus patients on the application so that they could be traced in real time.

No immediate response has been received from the authorities of the hospital.

The Delhi government stepped up scrutiny of hospitals in the capital this week after multiple complaints of COVID-19 patients being refused admission and reports that that medical centres in the city were swamped.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that there are ample amount of hospital beds for serious patients and no hospital can turn away those who have symptoms.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said some hospitals are "doing mischief" and they will not be spared.

"Some hospitals are denying admission to COVID-19 patients. I am warning those who think they will be able to do black-marketing of beds using the influence of their protectors from other parties, you will not be spared," Kejriwal said.

"Please allow a few days for us to sort this out. We will investigate and take action against those who are refusing patients even when beds are available... Some are involved in black-marketing of beds," the Chief Minister said.