Set aside beds for healthcare providers, Centre orders Delhi government hospitals

With Covid-affected doctors and health staffers in Delhi struggling to find beds and critical medicines even in the hospitals where they serve in, the Union health ministry has ordered government hospitals to immediately set aside beds for 'staff patients'.

Noting that many healthcare providers are acquiring Covid-19 while performing their duties and are "not getting hospital beds and requisite life-saving emergency treatment", the ministry said, "This kind of situation is not only distressing for these patients and their families but also demoralising the remaining workforce."

Key central government-run hospitals in the city - Safdarjung Hospital, RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, and Kalwati Saran Children's Hospital - have now been told to treat 'staff patients' on priority. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued a detailed protocol on ensuring all facilities to Covid-affected healthcare providers in its order issued on April 27.


Each hospital has to set aside a suitable site with 5-10 beds along with requisite equipment and consumables exclusively for 'staff patients' who require emergency treatment.

All requirements from medical care, drugs, IV fluids, protein rich diet and a clean healthy environment are to be given to these patients just as any other patient.

Admission to these beds will be through a special scrutiny process by the emergency department of the hospital to prevent misuse.

A nodal officer will be designated to handle this facility and the concerned director or medical surgeon will personally oversee treatment of these patients daily, the government has said.

A two-way communication would be ensured with attendants/family of the 'staff patient'.

In case admission is not feasible due to 100% occupancy, the hospital head is to scout for bed availability at similar sites in other hospitals and transfer the staff patient in a suitably equipped ambulance under care of a healthcare professional to maintain continuity of care en route.

The increasing number of Covid-affected healthcare providers has led to a major staff shortage at Delhi hospitals.

In view of the shortage, the Delhi government has allowed all Covid-19 hospitals in the capital to requisition additional medical manpower "to augment the capacity to manage critically ill patients" at a specified remuneration.