Bhubaneswar, May 2 (IANS): The Odisha government has warned action against the private hospitals for not providing critical services to non-COVID patients, said the state Health Department.

"It has come to the notice that some hospitals in the private sector are hesitating in providing critical services such as dialysis, blood transfusion, chemotherapy and institutional deliveries to their regular patients, either on account of fear of contracting COVID-19 or they are keeping their hospitals/ clinics closed," said an order of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) on Friday.

"It is also noticed that many places the hospitals/ clinics are insisting on a COVID-19 test before providing services. This is not acceptable," the order said.

The order came after several instances of critical non-COVID-19 patients were denied treatment in the private hospitals.

The DHS said that every non-COVID-19 hospital should keep a designated isolation unit to accommodate critically ill suspected COVID-19 patients until their conditions were stabilized to transfer to COVID hospitals after testing.

The department directed the hospitals to remain functional and ensure that anyone needing any essential critical services including dialysis, blood transfusion, chemotherapy and institutional deliveries is not denied such services.

"Non-compliance will be viewed seriously and action as per provisions of law, including cancellation of the registration of the defaulter hospital/nursing home will be initiated without further notice," the order said.