Meerut Hospital’s Advertisement Creates Controversy

MEERUT: The Meerut police on Saturday ordered a probe after several social media users pointed out that Valentis Cancer Hospital in Meerut has put out an advertisement that it will not admit new Muslim patients if they don't come with COVID-19 negative report.

The cancer hospital had published the advertisement in a Hindi daily, that went viral on Sunday.

The hospital said, according to a web portal, “Several patients are not following safety guidelines [like using masks] and are also misbehaving with hospital staff,” the hospital said. “For the safety of the hospital’s staff and patients, the administration requests all new Muslim patients and one of their caretakers to get tested for Covid-19 and visit the hospital only if their reports are negative.”

“It is due to the ignorance of some Muslim brothers that everyone will have to suffer for some,” the advertisement added.

“But this is in larger public interest and also in the interest of Muslim brothers,” it read. The hospital claimed that it had treated several Muslim patients in the past and doesn't discriminate among its patients. The hospital said that Muslim doctors, paramedics, judges, police personnel, teachers who doesn't live in densely populated areas are exempted from the rule.

It added that the hospital will admit patients who needs urgent medical attention, but the also will need to undergo COVID-19 tests that will be sent to Meerut Medical College and patients are required to pay Rs 4,500 for it.

It must be remembered that Centre had issued an advisory earlier this months asking people to not label specific communities or areas for the spread of COVID-19.

A doctor from the hospital told a news portal that in Meerut all but two cases are connected to the Markaz event held in New Delhi.

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