Ensure non-COVID-19 patients get proper medical care: HC

Mumbai, Apr 24 () The BombayHigh Court has said itis imperative that the Union government and the authorities inMaharashtra find an "effective solution" to ensure 'non-COVID-19' patients are not denied medical treatment at a time whenthe focus is on fighting the coronavirus outbreak.

Justice K R Sriram made the observation on Thursdaywhile hearing three different petitions highlighting theplight of people suffering from several chronic or seriousailments, who the pleas said, are being turned away fromclinics and hospitals.

The petitions also highlight issues such as lack ofadequate facilities and medical infrastructure in state,municipal-run, and private hospitals in current times.

The judge said the authorities must take a seriousnote of the issues and directed the Maharashtra government andthe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to file a replyto the pleas by April 29.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, the counselfor the Centre, told the HC the Supreme court, too, washearing a similar plea where the Union government would listnecessary steps being taken.

Therefore, the Union government's reply was notrequired to be filed before the HC, Anil Singh said.

"I would expect the concerned to take these petitionsvery seriously and come (up) with an effective solution intheir affidavits.

"Other respondents may also give their suggestions tothe Corporation/State Government/Central Government," JusticeSriram said.

The pleas, filed by two advocates and a city activist,said that as per news reports and their own findings, severalnon-COVID patients were being denied admission ortreatment asmedical staff feared the spread of coronavirus at theirhospitals or clinics, or due to lack of doctors, technicians,medical staff, hospital beds, protective kits.

The petitioners cited several such instances beforethe court during the hearing.

Advocate Gayatri Singh, the counsel for one of thepetitioners, told the court that often when patients wereturned away, it was not because there are not enough doctorsor, medical staff.

But such staff and doctors were not provided withprotective gears and safety kits, among other things, tomitigate the risk of spread of coronavirus, Gayatri Singhsaid.

The petitioners urged the HC to issue appropriatedirections to ensurehospitals did not refuse admission ofpatients sufferingfrom ailments other than COVID-19.

One of the petitioners, advocate Mutahhar Khan, alsourged the court to issue interim directions to the authoritiesto take adequate steps to provide ambulances to ferry needypatients from their homes to hospitals, dialysis centres.

Khan suggested that if required, the authorities couldconvert state-run buses or private mini buses into temporaryambulances for the purpose.

The court said the petitioners could give theirsuggestions to the authorities to help them come up withappropriate measures to provide adequate medical assistance toall patients.

"In my view, this is an issue with which both thestate and central government should be concerned with andtherefore, petitioners may address their communications withsuggestions, if any, to the Health Secretary of the StateGovernment at Mantralaya and to the Ministry of Health andFamily Welfare in the Central Government," Justice Sriramsaid.

BMC counsel Anil Sakhre told the court that the civicbody realised this was an "important issue" and that it wouldfile an appropriate reply. AYARSY RSY