All private hospitals authorised to treat swine flu patients?

In the wake of the recent spurt in cases of swine flu in and around the city, the Gurgaon health department has reportedly authorised all private hospitals to treat H1N1 patients.

In the wake of the recent spurt in cases of swine flu in and around the city, the Gurgaon health department has reportedly authorised all private hospitals to treat H1N1 patients.

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As per rules, hospitals need to secure an authorisation letter from the health department before treating H1N1 patients.

The authorisation is only given if the facility has an isolation ward equipped with a ventilator system and oxygen pipes.

Till now, only six of the 250 hospitals in and around the Millennium City are authorised to treat swine flu cases.

Artemis Health Sciences, Paras Hospital, Medanta - The Medicity, Umkal Hospital, Max Hospital and Pushpanjali Hospital had sought authorisation from the health department in 2009.

“The department has directed all private hospitals to treat swine flu patients. The department will issue them an authorisation in this regard,” said a senior official of the health department on the condition of anonymity.

However, the Hindustan Times was unable to get a confirmation about the decision on authorisation from the chief medical officer.

The hospital is one of the many that is not authorised to treat swine flu patients.

Besides this, medicines to treat H1N1 are only supplied by government hospitals to the authorised facilities.

The department’s direction follows after a private hospital refused to treat a 50-year-old man for swine flu and referred him to Apollo Hospital in New Delhi.

The patient, who was an official of the Indian Medical Association, was in a serious condition.