DW BUREAU/ MOHALI Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan here today advised all the hospitals in the district and warned them to stick to the COVID-19 treatment rate capping as affixed by the state government. 'No fleeing; these are testing times not just for our health care system but also a test of our moral scruples. Let us give the best of both', exhorted Deputy Commissioner. He said that the district administration has received complaints that some hospitals in the district are overcharging the patients. He said that despite whatsoever pressure the health facilities are facing, administration cannot ignore patients' complaints. We are duty bound to take action against the defaulters, he said and added that a two- member committee comprising representatives of the local SDM and the Civil Surgeon will enquire into the complaints and recommend suitable action. In the meanwhile, he reiterated patients may not be refused admission for want of an ICU bed. He said that the administration is fully aware that due to the spike in COVID cases ICU beds in all hospitals are operating at full capacity. But in some hospitals, at times patients are being refused admission for want of an ICU bed even when ward beds with oxygen are available. This could lead to loss of critical time in which the patient could have been administered oxygen and the related care thereby saving his/her life. The Punjab Clinical Establishment Act, 2020 in Section 21 also prevents any hospital from discriminating against COVID patients in accessing admission to the clinical establishment. It is therefore advised that hospitals shall not hesitate to admit such patients in a ward with oxygen, with the consent of the patient's family, while they await an ICU bed, the DC added. (editor@dailyworld.in)