Allahabad high court asks UP govt to explain curbs on OPDs

PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court on Monday directed the state government and the chief medical officer (CMO) of Prayagraj to apprise the court on June 18 as to how out patient departments (OPD) in private and government hospitals have been restricted.
Hearing a PIL filed by one Vishal Talwar and others, a division bench comprising Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Yashwant Varma fixed June 18 as the next date of hearing.
Appearing for the petitioners, their counsels Shahid Kazmi and Anand Prakash Paul contended that non-Covid-19 cases should be treated by hospitals in the state as they used to be treated earlier before the outbreak of pandemic.
The petitioner has requested the court to set aside government notifications issued on March 23 and May 31, that directed government and private hospitals to restrict treatment of non-Covid patients.
In the petition, it has also been requested to direct the authorities to ensure that hospitals treat patients suffering from other ailments or diseases than the patients suffering from Covid-19.
The court has been further requested that the authorities be directed to create a separate set up/ infrastructure for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
The PIL has been filed in the wake of a pregnant woman’s death last weekend in Noida after eight hospitals denied her admission. The PIL before the High Court also urges for a probe into the same.