Mohali District Administration on Friday ordered the seven private hospitals — including Max Super-specialty, Fortis Healthcare, SGHS Sohana, Ivy Hospital — to set aside at least 50 per cent of their total bed capacity as isolation beds and wards for Covid care.
The other hospitals include Indus Hospital, Grecian Super-specialty, and Mayo Super-specialty hospitals.
These private hospitals are already providing quality tertiary care (Level 2 and Level 3) for Covid patients in the district.
“The district possesses minimal public health infrastructure, given that the district hospital is under re-construction as a medical college – which will take time. Most of the ICU beds or ventilators (L2/L3 — that is tertiary care) are in the private sector,” said Mohali Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan in an order.
The hospitals have also been asked to put certain ambulances exclusively attending to COVID-19 patients or suspected cases.
Mohali Civil Surgeon shall decide on the exact number of beds and ambulances based on overall capacity of the hospital, read the order.
The Deputy Commissioner also made it clear that the private hospitals in the district shall not refuse admission or treatment to patients of COVID-19 referred by the Civil Surgeon, Mohali. The hospitals shall ensure that staff — doctors, nurses, and paramedics — are all available on duty and no one shall refuse treatment.
At the same time, the Deputy Commissioner has re-assured the public that there was no reason to panic as there are sufficient COVID care beds in Mohali.
“Formal orders have been issued so that as a cautionary measure at least 50 percent beds are reserved for COVID patients in private hospitals. Seven hospitals which have been assessed by experts to have provided quality COVID care in the past have been directed for compliance,” he said, while making it clear that the Hospital management would be held personally responsible for compliance of these directions.
“Failure to adhere to these directions shall attract criminal penalty as per the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Mohali Administration also announced stricter enforcement of COVID safety protocols, imposed additional restrictions to check the spread of virus in the wake of rapid spike in the magnitude of pandemic. Besides, the treatment, vaccination and outreach activities have been increased multi-fold, said the Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan.
Dayalan said that gathering in marriages and funerals in the district is henceforth restricted to 20 persons and special naakas are being set up around Containment Zones to maintain a strict vigil over unauthorized movement in or out of containment zones.
In addition, Police and Revenue Officers would conduct surprise checks in markets and crowded areas for challaning of the protocol offenders. They would also conduct joint inspections of marriage palaces wherein not just the guests found violating safety protocols would be penalized but action would also be taken against the owner of the marriage palace for failing to ensure compliance to the guidelines in his premises.
Police officials will impound cars plying in curfew hours and ensure enforcement of curfew at strict 9 pm, including shutting down of liquor vends. Joint teams of civil and police officers would keep a tab on Home Isolation and Geo-fencing Breaches by COVID patients.
“We have constituted additional 10 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) per subdivision for quick response to distress calls. They would ensure COVID kit distribution and monitor health of COVID positive patients,” informed DC.
