The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday will hear a PIL seeking directions for opening up of health facilities for people suffering from various ailments other than COVID-19.
THE PUNJAB and Haryana High Court on Monday will hear a PIL seeking directions for opening up of health facilities for people suffering from various ailments other than COVID-19. The PIL filed by advocate Ferry Sofat is listed for hearing before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha.
“There are other persons who are suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer, heart problem, kidney problems, etc, and need chemotherapy or dialysis on an urgent basis and, therefore, are also in need of medical treatment. However, several hospitals and clinics are refusing for the medical treatments,” the PIL states.
Submitting that the central government in April had issued a notification for functioning of various health services, the PIL states that several hospitals and clinics continue to remain closed in Punjab. Referring to an incident of April 25, Sofat said that his father – who underwent a heart bypass surgery two years back, was not able to breathe properly and when they reached the nearby government hospital in Fatehgarh Sahib, no treatment was available and he was asked to go to a private clinic. The private clinics also declined to check up the patient and they had to ultimately speak to a doctor over the phone for prescription, the plea adds.
“The government of Punjab had also announced that they will cancel the licences of the hospitals and clinics who will refuse to give treatment for other diseases, but since there is no complaint cell so there are no complaints made to the authorities,” the plea reads, adding extraordinary measures being taken to contain COVID-19 are welcome but must notcome at the cost of other patients, who are higher in number. The petition also claims that some big hospitals in Ludhiana first ask for check-up from a government hospital that the patient is not suffering from the COVID-19 and then only admit the patients. It also states many doctors have shut their clinics. “It is solemn duty of the State to provide a healthy environment free from all kinds of diseases. The state therefore should take necessary steps in order to contain COVID-19 and also to make arrangements for treatment of patients who are suffering from diseases other than the COVID-19,” the PIL reads.