Decide expeditiously on reservation of COVID-19 beds in private hospitals: High Court to Delhi government

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government to expeditiously decide on the issue related to reservation of beds for COVID-19 patients in private hospitals in accordance with the policies issued for dealing with the pandemic.

The high court passed the order while responding to a PIL filed by Dr Anshuman Kumar, senior Cancer Surgeon, through Gaurav Kumar Bansal (Advocate), seeking its direction to Delhi government in this regard.

Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, appearing for Dr Anshuman Kumar, submitted before the high court that the Delhi government order dated 24/05/2020 is not only against the D.O. dated 28/03/2020 issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India but it will also turn the these 117 private hospitals into super spreader by way of intermingling the non-COVID-19 patients with those infected by the deadly virus.

It is pertinent to mention here that as per the guiding principles prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, vide its Order dated 28/03/2020, it is necessary either to declare more hospitals situated in NCR as exclusively dedicated hospitals, and in case the same is not possible for any reason it would be better to reserve 20% beds of those private hospitals only which have separate blocks both for OPD as well as IPD care) with separate entry and exit points for the management of COVID 19 CASES.

Dr Anshuman Kumar, in his petition stated that under the normal circumstances, hospitals are organized to deliver patient-centric care, however, during the pandemic there is a need to turn the patient centric approach into community focussed care.

“It is respectfully submitted that at a time when the immunity of patients admitted in the said 117 private hospitals/nursing homes is already compromised due to their ailments, the steps taken by the Delhi government to mix non-COVID-19 patients with those infected with coronavirus shall worsen the current situation as the same will add as an insult to the injury,’’ the petition stated.