The Gauhati High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Central and Assam governments on the matter of denial of proper treatment to non-Covid-19 patients in various hospitals of the state.
The division bench of Chief Justice N. Kotishwar Singh and Justice Manish Chaudhary was hearing a PIL filed by Assam Assembly Leader of Opposition Devvrat Saikia, it asked the respondents to file their reply in three weeks.
The petition was filed on the basis of newspaper reports indicating various instances of death of non-Covid patients due to failure of getting admissions in hospitals in Assam as these patients were not able to produce Covid negative certificates.
Saikia contended that many patients suffering from heart attacks and strokes besides accident victims had died in the recent months due to the unfair policy adopted by various hospitals in the state.
The PIL further stated that many pregnant women have also suffered due to this insistence upon documentary proof of a patient being free of Covid-19.
The petitioner stated that many patients were forced to give certificates of not being Covid-19 positive when admitted to hospitals in Assam for treatment even in an emergency.
The court said the petitioner had also given an affidavit stating that non-Covid patients were denied proper treatment as Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospitals.
Also Read: Delhi government to re-open link for updating data for advocates welfare scheme
This petition was filed on August 14. In this, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Assam and the state’s Department of Health and Family Welfare have been made respondents.