The Supreme Court on Wednesday has slammed the Delhi Government for suspension of doctors and medical staff and threatening them with legal action for bringing the truth out regarding the real state of healthcare in the hospitals in Delhi.
A three-judge bench comprising of Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice MR Shah and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul made the observation while hearing a suo motu petition regarding the proper treatment of COVID-19 patients and dignified handling of dead bodies in government hospitals.
The Bench asked the Delhi government to stop harassing the doctors and medical staff and stop registering FIRs against them. The Bench also added that the Government should let the doctors do their job, not suppress the truth and protect their doctors and nurses.
“Don’t shoot the messenger. Don’t threaten doctors and health workers. Support them. Please protect doctors, nurses. They are Corona warriors. You do not want the truth to come out. But several videos have come out,” the bench said.
The Court also questioned the Delhi government regarding its attempt to suppress the truth asking why a doctor, who made a video of one of the Delhi hospitals, was suspended. The Court has also asked the Delhi Government to file a detailed affidavit regarding the matter.
“Why did you suspend a doctor who had made a video of the pathetic conditions of one of your hospitals?” the Bench asked
The matter will next be heard on Friday, June 19.
The Apex Court in its last hearing had criticised the government hospitals for the sorry state of affairs over the handling of bodies in the Delhi and had noted that the COVID-19 patients are being treated worse than animals.
The Court had also issued notices to the Delhi government, and Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan(LNJP ) hospital, and other state governments asking for their response on the matter. The court had also asked the Government of NCT to submit a status report regarding medical staff, and patient care, etc.
-India Legal Bureau