Nagpur: In a big respite to scores of Covid-19 patients, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the pathology laboratories conducting RTPCR tests to send results on WhatsApp and also hand them a hard copy. Currently, those submitting to tests, particularly at the government-run facilities, need to personally go there to get their RTPCR results the next day, risking themselves as well as others of infection.
While hearing a civil application by Dr Mukesh Chandak through counsel Raheel Mirza, a division bench comprising justices Zaka Haq and Amit Borkar directed the laboratories to upload results of positive patients on Indian Council for Medical Research’s (ICMR) website within 24 hours.
“The reports of the patients who test negative should also be uploaded on the ICMR portal in seven days. This arrangement shall continue until further orders,” the bench said.
Dr Chandak's application was filed in a suo motu PIL (No4/2020) on bed shortage based on a TOI report where Shreerang Bhandarkar was appointed as amicus curiae and Nidhi Dayani his assistant.
The intervenor pointed out difficulties faced by patients in getting the reports of RT-PCR test. According to Dr Chandak, the delay takes place because the laboratories procedurally have to upload them on the ICMR website, but many times the server slows down the process.
While disposing of the application, the judges warned laboratories that if HC directives aren’t complied with, the authorities will be free to take appropriate action against them.
Earlier, the lawyers for intervener, including M Anil Kumar and Tushar Mandlekar, suggested that reports of the patients, whether positive or negative, shall be immediately sent to them on WhatsApp and their hard copies should also be made available to them.
As far as uploading reports on the ICMR portal is concerned, it should be done as the data is of utmost importance for the government and authorities to take appropriate decision and action in the matter, they said.
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Govt agrees to set up oxygen plant in city
On HC’s request to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to explore setting up an oxygen-producing plant in the city to tide over its crisis, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic time, the government informed that it had in-principally accepted the proposal.
The submission in this regard was made by senior counsel MG Bhangde and additional government pleader Deepak Thakre. The duo, pleading on the government’s behalf, informed that there are proposals to set up such plants at many other places in Maharashtra and a meeting was convened by the chief secretary for the purpose.
Bhangde also informed that commissioner of police was told to deploy the security around Covid-19 hospitals to prevent attacks on doctors and other staff by the relatives of patients, as per the HC’s directives.