In an attempt to safeguard themselves in the current scenario, several private hospitals are mandatorily asking relatives of patients to sign a declaration that exempts them from being held accountable, if a patient is infected by COVID-19 during treatment.

'Hospital insisted'

Family members of Saroj Alag, 72, who had been admitted at Sujay Hospital in Juhu for a pelvic bone surgery on Monday, alleged that they were forced to sign such a declaration, and weren't informed about it at the time of admission. Alag's daughter, Devika Syal, said that the hospital authorities said they wouldn't go ahead with the surgery unless the declaration was signed. "The hospital didn't mention this at the time of admission and only brought it up late evening on Sunday. We are willing to follow all the protocols that are in place but if a hospital has such regulations, they should be upfront about it so that the family can decide whether to go to another hospital," she said.