PIL in HC for ensuring immediate treatment to COVID-19, other critical patients in govt hospitals

A PIL filed in the Delhi High Court has sought a direction to the AAP government to ensure people with COVID-19 symptoms as well as other critically ill patients are immediately admitted to hospitals and treated.

The plea, by consumer rights activist Bejon Kumar Misra, alleged several incidents of coronavirus patients being denied admission by government hospitals "on one pretext or the other" have been reported.

The petition, filed through advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi, has also alleged that a Delhi police constable lost his life due to denial of admission by two government hospitals.

The plea has sought setting up of a court-monitored committee into the alleged instances of denial of treatment to COVID-19 and other critically ill patients by Delhi government-run hospitals.

Besides that, it also wants establishment of a centralised database and communication system with a unique toll-free number which COVID-19 and other critically ill patients can use to find availability of doctors and beds in government hospitals, so that prompt medication can be provided to them.

The petition has claimed that in the absence of such a centralised system, the situation in government hospitals here is "chaotic".