Refugees in India can avail of free treatment facilities at any of the 45 private hospitals in the national capital which have been identified by Delhi government to render such services, the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has said.
Replying to a Delhi-based lawyers' group which has alleged that a Myanmarese refugee was denied treatment by a south Delhi private hospital, DHS clarified that the designated private hospitals cannot deny free assistance to any refugee who came under the EWS category.
"The said private hospitals cannot deny free treatment to any refugee whose family income is less than the minimum wages for unskilled labour, which is presently Rs 8,086 per month.
"Any eligible EWS patient in the country can avail of free treatment at any of the 45 identified private hospitals," said the reply issued by DHS.
Lawyers' group Social Jurist, in a letter dated February 7, had complained to the then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal that a Myanmarese refugee, who was a critical heart patient, was denied free treatment by a prominent hospital in south Delhi.
"Instead of providing free treatment, the hospital turned him away saying that he was a foreign refugee.
"Such conduct on part of the hospital is not only unethical and illegal, but also in violation of orders passed by Delhi High Court and Supreme Court that the identified private hospitals are obliged to provide free treatment to EWS patients to the extent of 10 per cent of in-patient department and 25 per cent out-patient department," said Ashok Agarwal, an adviser with Social Jurist.
The patient, it is learnt, was provided free treatment after intervention by the government.
