Hyderabad, May 20 (IANS): The Telangana health authorities on Thursday brought relaxations on hospital admissions and said that positive test report is no more mandatory for admission to a Covid health facility in the state.

The Director of Public Health and Family Welfare has issued an order for implementation of national policy for admission to hospitals.

The hospitals will now have to admit even those patients who are suspected to be Covid positive.

"Requirement of a positive test for Covid-19 virus is not mandatory for admission into a health facility," says the order.

A suspected Covid case has to be admitted into a separate ward and hospitals have to start treatment without any preconditions.

The order is significant as several hospitals in Hyderabad were found be turning away patients for not having Covid-19 positive reports.

"No patient will be refused services on any count. This includes medications such as oxygen or essential drugs even if the patient belongs to a different city," reads the order.

"No patient shall be refused admission on the ground that he/she is not able to produce any valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is located."

The order also makes it clear that admissions into hospital must be based on need.

"It should be ensured that beds are not occupied by persons who do not hospitalization. Further, the discharge should be strictly in accordance with the revised discharge policy," it added.