Private medical facilities told of new rules on Covid-19

“Following the Ministry of Public Health’s announcement earlier this month that declares coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19 as a dangerous communicable disease under the Communicable Disease Act B.E.2558, Department of Health Service Support has prepared and issued two announcement, to be retroactively effective from March 5, as follows:

1) Announcement regarding patients of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) that stipulates that Covid-19 patients must receive emergency treatment from medical institutes registered under the Sector 36 of Medical Institute Act B.E. 2541. The licence holder and operator of such institute must provide necessary care to the patient according to medical professional standard and capabilities of their establishment. The institute must not abandon or refuse to treat the patient. If patient transfer to a better equipped institute is necessary, the institute must provide proper patient transport and must never let the patient travel by themselves.

2) Announcement regarding regulations, procedures and criteria in treating patients of dangerous communicable disease which stipulates that medical institutes that provide treatment or transport to Covid-19 patients must establish a screening unit and quarantine room for the patients, as well as notifying Department of Disease Control of the number of patients under their care. All staff dealing with the patients must wear suitable protective gears and sanitary face masks must be provided to the patients to prevent the disease from spreading. If the institute provides overnight care (such as hospital) it must collect samples from patients’ bodies and submit them for diagnosis at laboratory specified by Ministry of Public Health.

“Medical institute not following the above announcements will be in violation of Communicable Disease Act B.E.2558 and Medical Institute Act B.E. 2541, which will prompt HSS to pursue legal actions against these institutes immediately,” said Tares.