Haryana: Medical Officers directed not to delay or deny treatment to any patient

Haryana: The Haryana government has directed hospitals across the state not to deny or delay treatment to any patient without Aadhaar card or any other identity card.

The directive assumes significance as it comes after a case of reported denial to a pregnant woman into the labour ward of a hospital in Gurugram, allegedly for not holding Aadhaar card, after which she had to deliver her baby outside the emergency ward.

The Haryana government has directed all civil surgeons, principal medical officers and medical superintendents in the state that treatment should not be delayed or denied to any patient who is without an Aadhaar card or any other identity card.

"They must first provide immediate treatment to any serious patients coming to hospital and do the file work meant for records later. Disciplinary action would be taken against those who don't comply with the orders," Director General, Health Services, Dr Satish Kumar Aggarwal said today.

Aadhaar card is not compulsory for patients for getting any kind of treatment in hospitals in the state, he said in an official release here.

Notably, a woman had delivered her baby outside the emergency ward of a civil hospital in Gurugram recently after the staff allegedly denied her admission into the labour ward for not carrying her Aadhaar card.

After the incident, state health minister Anil Vij had also said that treatment would not be denied to any patient if he or she does not have Aadhaar card.