Coronavirus: Ahmedabad hospital separates patients into Hindu-Muslim wards 

In a hospital of Gujarat’s capital Ahmedabad, the coronavirus infected people have been split into different wards on the basis of their religion by the hospital authorities.

Different wards , one for Hindu patients and another for Muslim patients have been created the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital as per a state government decision, The Indian Express quoted the hospital Superintendent Dr Gunvant H Rathod as saying.

Dr Rathod told The Indian Express, “Generally, there are separate wards for male and female patients. But here, we have made separate wards for Hindu and Muslim patients. It is a decision of the government and you can ask them.”

About 1,200 beds have been set aside in the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for COVID-19 patients. Out of 186 suspected people, 150 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have been admitted till date in the hospital. At least 40 out of the 150 are Muslims, according to the hospital sources. The hospital was designated a COVID-19 centre in the last week of March for the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar zone

However, the state Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Nitin Patel denied any knowledge related to this matter. The Collector of Ahmedabad, K K Nirala also said he did not have any information on the matter. “There has been no such instruction from our side and we are not aware of any such government decision,” Nirala added, according to The Indian Express.

As per hospitalisation protocol, there are two separate wards one for Covid-19 confirmed cases and another for suspected cases or separate wards are for the male and female patients.

While talking to The Indian Express , Deputy CM Patel said, “I am not aware of such a decision (on wards as per religious faith). Generally, there are separate wards for males and females. I will enquire about it.”

A patient told The Indian Express that the shifting was done on the basis of religion on Saturday. “On Sunday night, the names of 28 men admitted in the first ward (A-4) were called out. We were then shifted to another ward (C-4). While we were not told why we were being shifted, all the names that were called out belonged to one community. We spoke to one staff member in our ward today and he said this had been done for ‘the comfort of both communities’,” he said.