SC Issues Slew Of Directions In Suo Motu Case Of Proper Treatment Of COVID 19 Patients And Dignified Handling Of Dead Bodies In Hospitals

The Supreme Court on Friday has issued a slew of directions in the suo motu case of Proper treatment of COVID 19 patients and dignified handling of dead bodies in the hospitals.

In response to the notice issued by the Court on June 12, Union of India, Delhi Government and other states had field their affidavits. The affidavit filed by Union of India mentions that on June 14, a high-level meeting was held by the Home Minister with Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Chief Minister of Delhi, Union Health Minister, and Health Minister of Delhi, Mayors and Commissioners of Delhi’s three Municipal Corporations to strengthen the strategy to fight the coronavirus. The affidavit also mention remedial steps taken by Union of India.

The bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MR Shah with the object of continuous supervision and monitoring of government hospitals, Covid dedicated hospitals and other hospitals taking care of covid management issued the following directions:

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Union of India, shall constitute Expert Committee which shall inspect, supervise and issue necessary directions to all Government hospitals, Covid hospitals and other hospitals in NCT of Delhi taking care of Covid patients. The Expert Committees shall ensure that at least one visit in each hospital be done weekly. Similar expert Committees have been directed to be constituted in each state.
• Footage from the CCTV Cameras installed in the hospitals shall be made available by the hospitals in NCT of Delhi to the inspecting/supervising expert team or to any other authority or body as per directions of the Union of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for screening the footage and issuing necessary directions thereon. Government hospitals and hospitals in other states have also been directed to install CCTV cameras.
• All Covid-dedicated hospitals shall permit one willing attendant of the patient in the hospital premise, who can remain in an area earmarked by the hospital.
• All Covid dedicated hospitals shall create a helpdesk accessible physically as well as by telephone from where well being of patients admitted in the hospitals can be enquired.
• The Union of India, Ministry of Home Affairs has been directed to issue appropriate directions to all States/Union Territories to uniformly follow the revised discharge policy  dated 08.05.2020 with regard to discharge of different categories of patients as categorised in the revised discharge policy.
• The Union of India has been directed to issue appropriate directions to all the States/Union Territories with regard to prescribing reasonable rates of various Covid related facilities/test etc., which need to be uniformly followed by all concerned.

With these directions the Supreme Court has listed the matter for next hearing in the third week of July.

Read the order here;

-India Legal Bureau