Asymptomatic patients must be tested for Covid-19: Doctor moves Delhi HC

Government's order completely "violates and infringes the fundamental right to health of the citizen which also includes the right to avail medical test and treatment" the PIL says

Former Indian Medical Association (IMA) chief Dr KK Aggarwal has moved the Delhi High Court challenging the Delhi government's decision of excluding "asymptomatic patients or pre-symptomatic patients" from Covid-19 testing.

The Division Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad on Monday will hear the petition of Dr Aggarwal. The former IMA chief is seeking to quash the Delhi government's order dated June 2 stating that getting a medical test done is a "fundamental right" of every citizen.

He contended that since Covid-19 is a notifiable disease, it is mandatory for all citizens to get themselves tested for the disease whether the patient is symptomatic or asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic.

The PIL added that the government's order completely "violates and infringes the fundamental right to health of the citizen which also includes the right to avail medical test and treatment".

The plea also mentioned that the number of Covid-19 cases will increase tremendously with the lifting of lockdown and mostly asymptomatic cases, pre-symptomatic cases and mild/very mild symptoms cases will increase exponentially.

"And by not allowing the asymptomatic patients and pre-symptomatic patients to undertake Covid-19 testing, it means the asymptomatic patient and pre-symptomatic patients will not get proper treatment and soon all asymptomatic patient and pre-symptomatic patients will become symptomatic patient," the petitioner stated.