The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed the State government to reserve beds for treating patients suffering from black fungal infection (mucormycosis) and notify the public on availability of beds as the number of COVID-19 patients affected by it is steadily on the rise in the State.
Noticing that 535 more persons were affected from mucormycosis during the last one week, the Court also directed the government to take steps to ensure that affected people get free treatment in public hospitals as the cost of treatment for this infection, associated with COVID-19, is high in private hospitals.
A Special Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar issued the directions while hearing PIL petitions related to issues that cropped up owing to the pandemic.
The Bench also directed the government to ensure that the private hospitals, where COVID-19 patients are being treated, take precautions to prevent fungal infection besides creating awareness of nature and extent of black fungus among the general public as many patients have been discharged from hospitals against medical advice.
Earlier, Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chinnappa told the the Bench that of the 2,817 affected with black fungal infection, 2,304 are undergoing treatment, 179 have recovered, 217 have lost their lives, and 117 have left the hospital against medical advice.
On vaccination
As amicus curiae Vikram Huilgol pointed out that the State government needs to ensure equitable distribution of vaccine through private hospitals as per the Central government’s revised guideline for vaccination programme, the Bench directed the State government to effectively discharge its duty to “aggregate the demand of private hospitals keeping in view equitable distribution between large and small private hospitals and regional balance.”
Meanwhile, the Bench was informed that 2,49,504 disabled persons, which is 46.09% of the total 5,41,347 disabled persons aged above 18 years, have been vaccinated so far under a special drive for disabled persons.
