Supreme Court Poses Hard Questions To Delhi, Four Other States On Handling Of Covid-19 Cases
“We impress upon the states to ensure that there should be steep increase in the testing,” the Supreme Court says.
The Supreme Court has raised questions over fewer tests being conducted to check for Covid-19 infections in Delhi and the rising number of cases in West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
The court on Friday also said it was “pained” at the Delhi government’s handling of the virus outbreak and took suo motu cognizance of a report by India TV news channel that highlighted “the pathetic condition of patients admitted in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital in Delhi and the deplorable condition of the wards”.
The apex court also criticised the Delhi government for the difficulties people are facing in getting admitted to hospitals.
“The large number of beds in Government Covid-19 Hospital being vacant in situation where patients suspected of Covid-19 are running from pillar to post to get admission in any hospital tells about the mismanagement and sorry state of the government hospitals in Delhi,” a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, said in an order. The case will be next taken up for hearing on June 17.
It issued notices to the governments of these states and the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. The chief secretaries of these states have been directed to take immediate notice of patient management in government hospitals and take remedial steps. The states also have to file a status report highlighting the status of patient care, details of staff and infrastructure of the government hospitals.
The states, the Supreme Court said, must ensure that there’s a steep increase in testing at government hospitals and private labs so that anyone who desires to get tested shouldn’t be denied.
The court also took cognizance of how people succumbing to Covid-19 were being improperly buried, details of which weren’t being communicated even to their close relatives.
“All these facts, which have been brought to the notice of the Supreme Court by the media reports, clearly indicate a very sorry state of affairs of the patients of Covid-19 in the Government hospitals in the NCT (national capital territory) of Delhi as well as in other States.”