"Any Misadventure Would Endanger All Human Lives": Patna High Court Reviews Govt's COVID Preparedness Plan

The Patna High Court today reviewed the Bihar Government's COVID preparedness plan to deal with the apparent third wave of the pandemic while emphasizing that it is our collective responsibility to deal with the Pandemic, as it noted that any slip or misadventure of an individual or a community would certainly endanger all human life.

The Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma observed this while hearing a batch of pleas filed in connection with the handling of the COVID situation in the state.

State's submissions

At the outset, the State Government informed the Court about a notification issued by it, notifying the peremptory steps taken for preventing the pandemic and further apprised the Court of the steps taken to test at least two lac persons on daily basis through R.T.-P.C.R., TrueNat and rapid Antigen test.

The Court was also told that one laboratory has been dedicated for the identification of the variant of Concern(VoC) 'Omicron' and it has started Genome sequencing at I.G.I.M.S, Patna. Further, medicines such as Paracetamol, Azithromycin, Vitamin-C, Zink, and Vitamin-B Complex are being made readily available, free of cost, to all persons in need, more so, to those who are under home isolation.

The Court also noted that the State Government has installed a telemedicine facility for the patients/their relatives who can seek medical advice from registered medical practitioners. 

Regarding the availability of oxygen in the state, it was informed to the Court that the Government has sufficient arrangements for hospitalization and there is enough supply of Oxygen, should the need so arise, even on an emergent basis as it has established and made operational ten L.N.O. tanks to boost up the medical Oxygen supply in the Medical College(s) and Hospital(s) throughout the State.

Importantly, the Government submitted that under the P.M. Care Fund, 62 P.S.A. Plants already stand commissioned and Oxygen concentrators; Oxygen Storage Tanks/ Cylinders of all types are fully operational and functional and presently the state has the capacity to provide on daily basis, 490 Metric Tonnes of Oxygen, which is 130% of the peak Oxygen demand, noticed at the time of 2nd wave of the pandemic.

Court's observations

The Court asked the State Government to make an endeavor to not only educate the general public to avoid congregation at public places but ask them them adhere to the basic discipline of Oral hygiene, Hand Hygiene and Social Distancing.

In this regard, the Court opined that the social media platform can be best equipped to disseminate all information to the general public and emphasized the need of engaging the N.G.O's. and the Civil Society for undertaking such an endeavor.

"We only hope that the Government shall consider this aspect with the required urgency, speed and dispatch," the Court added as it posted the matter for further hearing on January 12.

The Court has also asked the State Government's response and additional steps taken by it regarding the advisory issued by the Secretary, Government of India, Department of Health and Family Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to all the States and Union Territories (UTs), prescribing a normative framework for taking evidence-based containment measures at district/ local level.

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