The Delhi High Court on Thursday came down heavily on the Delhi Government over the ‘sorry state of affairs’ in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital, stating that since the latter told the public the system was improving, did not mean the same was happening in real terms.
on a petition filed by 25-year-old advocate Ashish Pandey, seeking the constitution of a high-powered committee to look into and monitor the various lapses at the LNJP Hospital due to lack of infrastructure.
A Single Judge Bench of Justice Rekha Palli issued notice to both the Delhi Government and the LNJP Hospital, seeking their response on a petition that alleged lack of facilities and poor infrastructure, causing inconvenience to the patients and their attendants.
Justice Palli said, “Just because, you are coming on TV and stating the system is improving, does not mean the system is improving. This is not the first time the Court is listening to something like this about LNJP. Everyday, your Ministers are making statements about being careful about Covid-19 and you yourself are doing this.”
The Court directed the Delhi government to file a counter-affidavit, dealing with the shocking averments made in the petition. The plea was filed by a 25-year-old Advocate, who was admitted to LNJP Hospital on September 27, after experiencing weakness and not being able to move on his own.
According to the petitioner, no Covid-19 test was conducted on him at the time of admission in LNJP and later also, while receiving treatment. He said only preliminary/provisional investigation was conducted upon him by testing of vitals such as BP, RBS and SPO2.
The petition averred that there are two to three patients on each bed, intimation of which was not given to the petitioner or his attendants before-hand and no consent of the same was taken. On September 29, Doctor prescribed the petitioner a Chest X-ray and Ultrasound, the lab being around 1.5 km and the petitioner being unable to move, his attendant was able to procure a Wheelchair only at 2:00 a.m. The petitioner, on reaching the lab, was turned away as the date had changed and a fresh prescription was sought.
The petition further stated that the next day, a fresh prescription was acquired by the petitioner, but he could only be taken to the lab five hours later, when his attendant was able to procure a stretcher, upon the attendant mortgaging his phone. Once at the lab, the petitioner’s turn came only after 5 hours of waiting and due to lack of seating arrangement, he was forced to lie on the floor.
The plea sought to bring the court’s attention to dangerous lapses at LNJP Hospital, including lack of basic equipment & infrastructure, botched-up administration, and lack or shortage of personnel.
The petition has been filed and argued by Advocate Astik Gupta, who was assisted by Advocate Kuldeep Shukla. The Court has listed the matter for further hearing on December 28.