Professor Dr GH Rathod, General Surgeon and Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital, Asarwa, refuted reports making the rounds in certain sections of the media that patients were being segregated on the basis of faith at the newly created COVID-19 hospital.

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Through a statement released on April 15, Prof Rathod said that "patients are not segregated on the basis of faith. The patients are admitted and kept in different, respective wards based on their male, female, children status, based on their medical condition, based on their positive or negative suspect corona status, based on their condition (critical/serious) based on pre-existing co-morbid condition like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease etc after thorough discussion between treating doctors, in the best interest of the patients." The Medical Superintendent further clarified that news which had appeared in some dailies had misquoted him, "that we have made separate wards for patients. These reports in my name are false and baseless and I condemn it."

"I repeat again that we admit patients in various wards in their best interest, based on their medical condition, and not on faith," he stressed. As per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on April 15 there are 695 COVID-19 cases in Gujarat. 30 deaths have been reported in the State due to the infection so far.