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Hospitals not authorized to reveal lab results of COVID-19 patients: Bandung referral center
The government made the policy to protect patients and avoid causing mass panic among the public.
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Hasan Sadikin Hospital provides a separate admission for patients with infectious symptoms such as novel coronavirus to the Isolation Room (JP/Arya Dipa)
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ospitals are not allowed to reveal the test results of COVID-19 patients, Hasan Sadikin Hospital president director Nina Susana Dewi has revealed.
During an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Nina explained that the government had made the policy to protect patients and avoid causing mass panic among the public.
The hospital should wait for a statement from the Health Ministry’s disease control and prevention directorate general, Achmad Yurianto, to reveal any information about a COVID-19 patient, including their test results.
“The situation would be different if we announced the [infected] city or hospital. We are following [ministry] rules. We can only reveal that we are still learning about the patients’ condition,” Nina stated, adding Hasan Sadikin Hospital had yet to receive the test results of suspected COVID-19 patients who had undergone treatment for over a week.
Hasan Sadikin Hospital has placed 12 suspected COVID-19 patients under observation since Feb. 20. Most of those who were treated in isolation rooms were discharged after testing negative for the virus.
Read also: Indonesia reports first death from COVID-19
In the past week, the hospital has placed five new patients under observation. According to Nina, two would soon be discharged while another two would be moved to a different isolation room on Wednesday.
“If we discharge them or move them to another room, that means their conditions have improved, and we can conclude that they tested negative,” Nina said.
Meanwhile, one patient must stay another night in their current isolation room even though they have shown signs of improvement.
“The Health Ministry is still observing [the patient],” Nina said.
There have been 34 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Indonesia as of Wednesday. Three are located in West Java, which includes the first two confirmed cases.
Yurianto said doctors had the responsibility to tell patients they had tested positive for the virus.
“Doctors are not allowed to hold back any information, and patients have the right to know about their condition.” (dpk)
