A petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to form a high-powered committee in every state to monitor the distribution policy of medical equipment.
The plea said the high-powered committee formed in the state should also monitor the facilities for the COVID-19 patients like the oxygen supply, proper allocation of beds in the hospitals, proper supply of Remdesivir drug, and vaccines.
The plea filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari also sought direction to set up a three-member enquiry commission headed by a retired top court judge into the oxygen leak incident at a hospital in Nashik that led to the death of 22 Covid-19 patients.
It said that along with the retired Apex Court judge, other two members in the commission have to be retired judges of the high court.
The petition also sought direction to the State of Maharashtra to register an FIR in the Nashik Oxygen leak incident and direct all states to set up a technical committee for the monitoring of the policies and distribution pertaining to the medical equipment supply.
"Non-action and reluctance on the part of the governments by not initiating any channelised and administered distribution policy for the Remdesivir drug and medical oxygen have actually resulted in the greater consequence in the form of the illegal black market and illegal hoarding leading to the greater arbitrary rise of price and such is not reaching each and every citizen of the country," said the petition.
People primarily require oxygen in this present situation. The need of the hour is lifesaving medical equipment and hence if there is a deficiency of such equipment it affects the fundamental rights leading to a compromise of health, according to the petition.
The petition was filed at a time when the country is witnessing an unprecedented rise of coronavirus cases. More than 3 lakh new COVID-19 cases and over 2,000 deaths were reported in India on Thursday, a record-high since the pandemic broke out last year.
As per the Union Health Ministry, as many as 3,14,835 new COVID-19 cases and 2,104 deaths were reported, taking the total cases to 1,59,30,965, including 22,91,428 active cases.
As many as 1,34,54,880 recoveries have been reported so far, out of which 1,78,841 were reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll related to the infection stands at 1,84,657.
( With inputs from ANI )
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