Apollo refuses to treat swine flu patients, later relents

Apollo, a major corporate hospital, turned away swine flu patients but later said it would try to create separate isolation wards outside their existing facilities to treat those afflicted by the disease. Don't panic | What is H1N1? | Dos and don'ts| Special | Listen to podcast

Apollo, a major corporate hospital, turned away swine flu patients but later said it would try to create separate isolation wards outside their existing facilities to treat those afflicted by the disease.

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As the government looked to private sector to help in tackling the pandemic which is spreading to more areas in the
country, the hospital issued a statement today saying "we cannot put our patients, many of whom are immuno compromised, at risk by exposing them to the infection...

"We are, therefore, not in a position to provide facilities for H1N1 flu screening sample collection and in patient treatment in our campus for fear of cross infection", said the statement drawing sharp reaction.

Later, the hospital authorities said in a statement this evening extended their cooperation to Delhi government in
treating swine flu patients.

The hospital agreed to provide separate isolation facilities for swine flu patients outside their "existing facilities" and this may take "couple of days to weeks" to create.

"We will be creating the infrastructure and we will not be doing this in the existing hospitals in the country because
that puts the existing patients at risk," K Hari Prasad, CEO, Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad, told CNN-IBN.