‘Take strict action’: Delhi HC’s directive against erring hospitals amid Covid-19 pandemic

Earlier this month, Delhi HC had directed the Centre and the Delhi government to update data in real-time on the availability of beds and other healthcare facilities provided to Covid-19 patients.

Delhi High Court on Thursday directed Central and Delhi government to take strict action against hospitals that are not providing real-time updates on the availability of beds for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

File photo: Medics outside an isolation ward of the coronavirus at a hospital.(PTI)

The court said that any communication gap between the government and hospitals should be reduced. The court has also asked the Kejriwal government to appoint “dedicated officers” for the same.

Earlier this month, Delhi HC had directed the Centre and the Delhi government to update data in real-time on the availability of beds and other healthcare facilities provided to the Covid-19 patients.

 

The court’s directions came after hearing a plea it had initiated itself. It was contested that the “Delhi Corona Mobile Application”, developed by Delhi government, is not being updated regularly and that there exists a mismatch of the facts and data released by the government and private hospitals in Delhi, especially concerning the availability of beds and ventilators.

A bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Prateek Jalan had also directed the Centre and the Delhi government to carry out testing as far as far as possible, subject to availability of testing kits with priority being given to the persons approaching for test on the recommendation of a doctor.

Meanwhile, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) will hold a meeting today evening to discuss home isolation rules for Covid-19 patients in Delhi.

The Kejriwal government has categorically opposed the current format of home isolation rules for coronavirus patients and a decision on it is likely to be taken during in the meeting today.