Patients have the right to the following:

• Considerate and respectful care
• Be treated with dignity and respect
• Obtain complete and current information concerning his/her diagnosis, treatment and prognosis in terms that patients can reasonably understand.
• Obtain copies of their medical reports by applying through the appropriate channels
• Seek second opinion about their disease or treatment from another Practitioner
• Necessary information to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure.
• Refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of his/her actions according to the law.
• Privacy. The health worker has a duty to sensitise the patient when others are involved. e.g trainees
• Expect that all communications concerning him/her shall be treated confidentially.
• Expect that within its capacity, a hospital must make reasonable response to the request of the patient.
• Reasonable continuity of care.
• Has the right to receive an explanation on his/her bill regardless of who is paying
• Know what hospital rules and regulations apply to his/her conduct as a patient.
• Be informed about what to do in the event of an emergency
• Freedom of choice except in the case of emergency care
• Obtain any information as to the relationship of his/her hospital to other health care and educational institutions as far as his/her health is concerned.
• Know if the hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting his/her treatment.
• Withdraw their consent and terminate care at any point or get this done on their behalf by the recognized legal guardian or next of kin

Patients have the following responsibilities:

• To treat all hospital staff with respect and dignity
• To faithfully undergo the AGREED treatment
• To follow the health worker’s instructions diligently
• To take necessary preventive measures in case of infectious disease according to doctor’s instructions
• To be aware that health workers would endeavour to always act in their best interests. However, being human beings, are susceptible to occasional mistakes and lapses
• To be aware that ALL procedures and treatment modalities carry varying levels of risk for which health workers are not liable
• To make payment for the treatment, wherever applicable, to the hospital promptly
• To respect the competence of the health workers to make professional decisions on patients’ care
• To be punctual at clinics/hospitals for treatment at the given time
• To preserve all the records of their illness
• To keep the Hospital Management informed if change of doctors/hospital is desirable/desired.