Dengue deaths: ‘Heartbroken’ Arvind Kejriwal makes surprise visit to government hospitals

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that his government is planning to bring a law under which private hospitals refusing admission to emergency patients could be penalised.

"We are planning to come out with a law so that hospitals refusing treatment to an emergency patient can be penalised. In the next couple of days, we will call a special session of the Legislative Assembly to bring in the law," Kejriwal said.

The Chief Minister conducted surprise checks at several hospitals including Guru Teg Bahadur hospital and Dr Hedgewar Aarogya Sansthan in Karkardooma.

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Kejriwal's visit comes in the backdrop of another boy succumbing to dengue and his family alleging negligence by hospitals in the city. On September 8, 7-year-old Avinash Rout had died due to the vector-borne disease after allegedly being turned away by five hospitals which had driven his parents to suicide.

"Hospitals which refuse treatment will not be spared," Kejriwal said.

He also said that government was exploring the idea of taking over private hospitals for a temporary period during an exigency.

Meanwhile, Delhi government has summoned administrators of all private hospitals and nursing homes in the city. Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain will hold the meeting with them on Tuesday evening.

In the meeting, administrators of nursing homes and private hospitals will be given strict orders to not refuse admission to any suspected dengue patient.