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No Separate Wards For Hindus, Muslims At Ahmedabad Civil Hospital: Gujarat Govt Clarifies
15 April 2020 12:32 PM GMT | Updated 15 April 2020 5:14 PM GMT
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A broadcast turned digital journalist, Shweta Kothari heads the newsroom at The Logical Indian. She has previously worked with CNBC and NewsX as a news anchor and senior correspondent. Shweta holds a masters degree in journalism from the university of Sussex, UK and started her career with work placement with BBC in Scotland.
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The Gujarat government clarified that the reports on segregating wards based on religion are "absolutely baseless."
Amid reports that Ahmedabad Civil Hospital in Gujarat has segregated its wards for coronavirus positive and suspected cases based on their religion, the Gujarat government on Wednesday, April 15, clarified that these reports are "absolutely baseless".
"Some reports have appeared in the media that there are separate wards for patients of different religions in Civil Hospital Ahmedabad COVID hospital. These reports are absolutely baseless," the Gujarat Health & Family Welfare Department tweeted.
"Patients are kept in different wards based on their medical condition, severity of the symptoms and age, purely based on the advice of treating Doctors.Therefore, reports appeared in certain media are totally baseless and misleading," it added.
Patients are kept in different wards based on their medical condition, severity of the symptoms and age, purely based on the advice of treating Doctors.
— GujHFWDept (@GujHFWDept) April 15, 2020
Therefore, reports appeared in certain media are totally baseless and misleading.@CMOGuj @civilhospamd @InfoGujarat
A report by The Indian Express had said that the hospital, which has set aside 1,200 beds for COVID-19, has created separate wards for Hindu and Muslim patients. It said that Medical Superintendent Dr Gunvant H Rathod said that the separate wards were created as per a state government decision.
"Generally, there are separate wards for male and female patients. But here, we have made separate wards for Hindu and Muslim patients," Dr Rathod told the media.
"It is a decision of the government and you can ask them," Dr Rathod added.
Further, a patient told the media house, "On Sunday night, the names of 28 men admitted in the first ward (A-4) were called out. We were then shifted to another ward (C-4). While we were not told why we were being shifted, all the names that were called out belonged to one community. We spoke to one staff member in our ward today and he said this had been done for 'the comfort of both communities'."
However, Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Nitin Patel had denied any knowledge regarding the same.
"I am not aware of such a decision (on wards as per faith). Generally, there are separate wards for males and females. I will enquire about it," Deputy CM said.
The same was reiterated by Ahmedabad Collector K K Nirala, who said that there has been no such instruction from their side.
"We are not aware of any such government decision," the Collector added.
The report added that as per hospitalisation protocol, suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 are kept in separate wards. Of the 186 people admitted in the hospital, as many as 150 are positive. Of the positive cases, at least 40 are Muslims, sources said.
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