Defer surgeries for next two weeks: Commission

Kolkata: West Bengal Clinical Establishments Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) on Friday asked private hospitals to defer all the planned surgeries for the next two weeks. Senior officials of the WBCERC held a meeting with the private hospitals to examine the Covid preparedness.

The WBCERC on Friday urged the private hospitals to increase 25-30 per cent beds than what it was during the peak Covid time last year. The private hospital authorities have told the Commission that around 500 more beds would soon be increased. Hospitals have to provide basic treatment to a patient even if there are bed-related issues.

"After the Covid curve started flattening towards the end of the last year, the private hospitals converted the Covid beds into non-Covid ones. The hospitals started admitting non-Covid patients in Covid beds. We have also requested the private hospitals to again demarcate these Covid beds as the infection is going up. The private hospitals have also been directed not to refuse any patients. If there is any bed crunch, the hospital has to ensure that the patients get an admission in any other hospital," said WBCERC chairperson Justice (retired) Ashim Kumar Banerjee.

The Commission also asked the private hospitals to make the public redressal system stronger so that people can report any treatment related issues.