Gauhati High Court tells government to submit report on Covid patients denied admission by private hospitals

The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam Government to submit a report regarding a PIL alleging that COVID-19 patients are being denied admission to private hospitals in the state despite having medical insurance.

A Division Bench of Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak after hearing the PIL on May 24 directed the state authority to submit a report as regard denial of admission of COVID patients to private hospitals despite having medical insurance coverage.

The PIL was filed by Lawyers Association, Guwahati for a direction to the state authorities to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petitioner alleged that in Assam many COVID-19 patients having health insurance coverage are not being admitted to private hospitals contrary to directions issued in this regard by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) on March 4, 2020.

Advocate General D Saikia countering the allegations stated that nine private hospitals were contacted in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Bongaigaon.

They responded that they have not denied admission to COVID patients except in some case where the employees of the hospital were also suffering from COVID.

The court will further hear the matter on May 31.