KATHMANDU, March 31: At a time when the media have reported the denial of private hospitals to serve the patients suffering from COVID-19 like symptoms across the country, the Supreme Court has issued an interim order that private hospitals need to arrange a facility to treat the COVID-19 patients.

A single bench of Justice Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma issued the order stating that private hospitals have an equal responsibility to ensure health facility to people at a time of the pandemic.

"No private health facility can deprive people of health service in any pretext," he stressed in the order. Advocate Pushpa Raj Poudel had filed a writ petition on behalf of the Supreme Court Bar Association naming the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers as the defendants.

Facilities needed to treat the coronavirus patients should be managed at the private hospitals including the arrangement of bed, ICU, ventilator support, the order read, adding that those providing service as doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, cleaners and assistants should also be provided adequate safety accessories.

Although the petitioner had demanded formulation of policy and laws via ordinance, the SC did not order anything on it.

 
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