New Delhi: Even as swine flu spreads across the country, private hospitals stand divided over treating those infected with the H1N1 virus.
Indraprastha Apollo Hospital has said that it cannot provide facilities for H1N1 flu testing and treatment for fear of cross infection.
In a statement the hospital said, "We would like to do everything possible with respect to the H1N1 pandemic as well. However, we cannot put our patients, many of who are immuno compromised, at risk by exposing them to the infection. We are, therefore, not in a position to provide facilities for H1N1 flu screening, sample collection and in patient treatment in our campus for fear of cross infection."
But the hospital said that they have offered their laboratories for testing the samples (collected outside their campus) if they meet with the government standards and specifications.
After the statement released by the Apollo Hospital, the government has said that legal action may be taken against those private hospitals that are not willing to cooperate.
The Health Ministry, meanwhile, is trying to allaying fears that there is no need to panic.
"There is no need to panic. The Central and state government will do whatever is possible and the media should play a positive role is spreading the information," Health Minister Ghulam, Nabi Azad said.