The Delhi High Court on Saturday directed the Delhi government to consider and process the proposal of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) to grant permission for establishing a 60 to 80-bed Covid care Section facility.
A single-judge bench of Justice Prathiba Singh said, "Considering the acute shortage and severe demand for beds pertaining to COVID-19 patients and COVID-19 related facilities in the city of Delhi, the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health, GNCTD, shall process the proposal from IHBAS, which has been sent. Copy of the proposal is also handed over to the counsel for the GNCTD."
IHBAS has apprised the Delhi High Court that it has urged Delhi Government to consider and accord permission for establishing a 60 or 80-bed Covid care Section facility at IHBAS.
IHBAS has made the proposal vide letter dated May 6, 2021.
The court said if any additional measures are required for the specialised/designated COVID facility, the same shall be done by the GNCTD in coordination with hospital authorities.
Further, an endeavor shall be made to immediately operationalize the said COVID facility at IHBAS, as per the application protocols and norms, the court said.
The court listed the matter for May 13, asking counsels to report on this issue of the creation of a COVID-19 facility at IHBAS.
During the course of this hearing, it has been revealed that IHBAS has a total capacity of over 200 beds, and at this point in time, approximately only about 50 beds are occupied.
The court observation came while hearing a petition filed by the son of an 83-year old senior citizen, who is undergoing treatment of a neurological ailment in the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences.
He was admitted to IHBAS after he suffered a brain stroke on April 29, 2021. He thereafter was detected with fever and upon conducting an RT-PCR test, he turned out to be positive for COVID-19.
The grievance of the petitioner in the present petition is that IHBAS, not being a designated COVID-19 hospital, has asked the petitioner's attendant to shift the petitioner into a COVID-19 hospital.
Tushar Sannu, appearing for IHBAS submitted that the hospital is not treating this case in an adversarial manner, and the patient is currently stable with 5 MTs oxygen. He has been kept in a transit COVID facility, where three COVID patients are currently admitted.
"This Court is confident that the IHBAS would endeavour to give the best care and treatment possible to the Petitioner under the present circumstances. It is made clear, that IHBAS would not be held liable in any manner, inasmuch as the Petitioner and his family are conscious of the fact that the doctors at IHBAS may not have the same specialization required for a COVID patient - it not being a COVID-19 designated hospital and also due to the fact that it is on the Petitioner's insistence that he is not being moved to a COVID facility. The apprehension of IHBAS is completely assuaged, in view of the observations recorded above," the court said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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