Public Health – Covid-19 pandemic – Lapses in care of Covid19 patients in different hospitals in National Capital Territory of Delhi
and other States – Suo motu writ petition – Held: Directions issued for continuous supervision, monitoring of government hospitals, Covid dedicated hospitals and other hospitals taking care of Covid management – Directions also issued w.r.t Union of India’s guidelines permitting one attendant of Covid-19 patient and discharge policy – Further, Union of India may consider issuing D uniform directions to all the States and UTs w.r.t. reasonable rates of various Covid related facilities/test for private hospitals/labs, which may be made applicable across the country – Any variations to be made with regard to any particular State/Union Territory be specifically provided – Direction issued – Disaster Management E Act, 2005.
Issuing directions, the Court
HELD: 1.1 With the object of continuous supervision and monitoring of government hospitals, Covid dedicated hospitals and other hospitals taking care of covid management following F directions are issued (I) The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Union of India, shall constitute Expert Committees consisting of: a) Senior Doctors from Central Government hospitals in Delhi, b) Doctors from GNCTD hospitals or other hospitals of Delhi Government, G c) Doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, d) Responsible officer from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (II) The Expert Committee 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. (III) The team may in addition to normal inspection shall also conduct surprise visits to assess the preparedness of the hospitals. The expert team after visiting may issue necessary instructions for improvement to the hospital concerned and also forward its report to the Government of NCT of Delhi and the Union of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (IV) All States shall also constitute an expert team of Doctors and other experts for inspection, supervision and guidance of Government hospitals and other hospitals dedicated to Covid-19 in each State who may inspect, supervise the hospitals in the State and issue necessary directions for the improvement to the concerned hospital and report to the Government. [Para 12][849-F-0H; 850-A-D]
1.2 The installation of CCTV Cameras in all the wards is a welcome step which shall not only help the hospital management to immediately find out the requirement of proper care with regard to patients admitted in the wards but also ensure transparency in the patients care in the hospital. Following directions are issued(V) Footage from the CCTV Cameras 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. (VI) In Government hospitals of GNCT, Delhi which are Covid dedicated hospitals, where CCTV cameras have not been installed, steps shall be taken to install CCTV Cameras in the wards. (VII) The Chief Secretaries of other States shall also take steps regarding installation of CCTV Cameras in Covid dedicated hospitals where Covid patients are taking treatment to facilitate the management of such patients and for the screening of the footage by designated authorities or bodies so that remedial action may be suggested and ensured. [Para 13][850-E-H; 851-A]
1.3 One of the guidelines by the Union of India is to permit one attendant of Covid-19 patient. Directions- (VIII) All Coviddedicated hospitals shall permit one willing attendant of the patient in the hospital premise, who can remain in an area earmarked by the hospital. (IX) 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. [Para 14][851-B-C]
1.4 (X) The Union of India, Ministry of Home Affairs may issue appropriate directions in exercise of power under Disaster Management Act, 2005 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. [Para 15][851-F-G]
1.5 (XI) The Union of India may issue appropriate guidelines/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. In case, with regard to any particular State/Union Territory, there is any difference, the same may be specifically noticed and directed accordingly. [Para 17][852-D]
As published in the Supreme Court Reports, Supreme Court of India. Text from the Indian Supreme Court Judgments open data set (Dattam Labs), CC BY 4.0.
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