AHMEDABAD: The state government on Friday informed Gujarat high court that it has undertaken the process enact rule to make it mandatory for private hospitals to treat swine flu patients without charging any fee.The government pleader made a statement before the high court that the government has initiated the process so that a patient infected with H1N1 virus gets free treatment even at a private hospitals. This is being done under the provisions to contain contagious disease, sources said.
The move has come after the high court made scathing remarks over inadequacy on part of the government to curb spread of swine flu.
Meanwhile, petitioner Manasvi Thapar’s advocate K R Koshti submitted his report after his visit to the Civil Hospital. He pointed out what was still required in the isolation ward of the hospital. He also stated that patients were being asked to purchase medicine from outside the hospital despite the fact that the hospital should have had the medicine stock.
The state government opposed advocate Koshti’s claim and insisted that all efforts were made to curb the spread of H1N1 virus.
After hearing the arguments, the court commented that it was not proper to always criticize the government’s efforts to deal with the deadly disease, although the deficiencies in its work may be pointed out before the court.
The HC also asked advocate Koshti to visit the hospitals run by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and also clarified that he may take the visit without informing the authority beforehand.