NHAI to Exempt LMO Tankers From User Fee at Toll Plazas 

The Union Health Ministry has revised the national policy of admitting Covid-19 patients into hospitals on the mandatory Covid test report for admission into a Covid health facility. The government directed that no patient will be refused services on any count. After heavy criticism, the directive concluded that serious patients should not be denied medical attention by hospitals for any reason.

India on Monday recorded over 4.03 lakh fresh cases and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours. The high rising cases have started showing some downward trend in Maharashtra and Delhi, while 180 districts in the country have had no fresh cases in the last seven days.

Yet, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh continue to report very high cases.

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The Union Government directed hospitals in all states and Union Territories to ensure they admit suspect cases to the ‘suspect wards’ and treatment immediately instead of insisting on a positive Covid-19 test for admission.

“No patient shall be refused admission on the ground that he/she is not able to produce a valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is located. Admissions to the hospital must be based on need. It should be ensured that beds are not occupied by persons who do not need hospitalisation. Further, the discharge should be strictly in accordance with the revised discharge policy,” the order said.

Meanwhile, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that tankers and containers carrying liquid medical oxygen (LMO) will be exempted from user fee at toll plazas for a period of two months on national highways across the country.