Delhi HC Directs Action Against Unregistered Online Health Service Aggregators Taking COVID-19 Samples

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Delhi Government to take action against unregistered online health services aggregators, if any, collecting samples of COVID-19 illegally.  

The Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan has asked the Delhi Government to take action against such 'violators of law' expeditiously after providing them with an adequate opportunity of being heard.

The order has come in a PIL filed by Dr. Rohit Jain seeking a direction to be issued to the Delhi Government to ban the online health services aggregators which are not registered as per the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010.

As per the Petitioner, there are some unregistered online health services aggregators that are illegally collecting samples for COVID19 testing by misrepresenting themselves as Medical Diagnostic Laboratories.

'These illegal online health service aggregators are posing the biggest threat to life and safety of the common people', the Petitioner had argued.

In addition to this, the Petitioner had asked for a direction to be issued to the Delhi Government to issue guidelines for registration and minimum standards for sample collection centers operated by online aggregators including the minimum qualification for taking samples by representative of aggregators.

Moreover, the Petitioner wanted the concerned authorities to ensure that these aggregators comply and register with the state pollution control board or state pollution committee for the disposal of bio-medical waste.

The petition stated:

'Delhi Government shall ensure that COVID19 test reports may be duly signed by a Registered Medical practitioner with a postgraduate qualification in Pathology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, or Laboratory medicine.'