As a new wave of COVID-19 infections rages Nepal, hospitals are being overwhelmed in the country, and some reports suggested private hospitals in the country are denying admissions to Covid patients. 

According to a report in The Kathmandu Post, beds in state-run hospitals have been fully occupied with seriously ailing patients, and most private hospitals are not taking in COVID-19 patients. They are instead referring patients to government hospitals without ensuring that beds are available for them.

We have dozens of patients, who were referred by private hospitals,” Dr. Sagar Rajbhandari, director at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post. 

“Some patients sent by private hospitals are waiting at the emergency ward and on the premises of the hospital for beds,” he added. “But it is not possible to provide care to the infected patients only from government hospitals.”

Officials have directed all private hospitals not to refer patients without ensuring there are beds in the hospitals designated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Nepal’s health ministry has also asked all hospitals to set aside 20 percent of the beds for such patients.

However, only a few private hospitals have been providing care to COVID-19 patients.