In a monumental move, the Delhi government has issued a new set of diktats to private hospitals, pulling them up for cases of indiscipline in the past. The government of Delhi has presented a directive to private hospitals against many abysmal practices such as turning away emergency cases and forcing patients to buy medicines from the hospital pharmaceuticals. According to a news report by CNN 18, the AAP-led Delhi government has formed a committee to discipline private hospitals. In a press conference in the capital, it was revealed that advisory will soon be put up in the public domain.

The highpoint of the decision is that no private hospitals should turn away emergency cases, charge more than 50 percent of the purchase price of medicines or refuse to handover dead bodies to families in cases of non-payment of bills. These problems have caused conflict in the past between patients and the private hospitals.

The diktat has been issued in the light of many cases of medical negligence involving private hospitals in the past. In 2017, many premium hospital groups in the country like Fortis and Max made news for abysmal practices. Fortis was accused of inflating medical expenses and presenting the family of a deceased dengue victim with a bill of Rs. 16 lakhs. The seven-year-old patient Adya had died after a bout of dengue and the child’s family was charged for 660 syringes and 2,700 gloves during her 15-day stay in the hospital.

Private hospitals are also known to torment the families of deceased patients by withholding their dead bodies in a bid to extract payment, leaving them to scamper for money while dealing with the trauma of losing a loved one. In 2017, Thane Health Care Hospital in Thane, Maharashtra had refused to hand over the dead body of a 48-year-old patient, citing outstanding dues. In February this year, a private hospital in Mira Road Thunga had also refused withheld the body of the patient to recover Rs. 2.5 lakhs.

The Delhi government will issue the complete advisory in 30-days’ time.The rules will be complied and presented only after hearing the suggestions and objections from the general public and medical practioners.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2018 06:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).