Allahabad HC Asks UP Govt To Explain Closing Of Hospitals For Non-Covid Patients [Read Order]

A division bench of Justice Pankaj Mittal and Justice Yashwant Verma observed that people are dying because they are unable to get proper treatment due to closure of OPDs and therefore directed the AAG to seek instructions on the matter.

During the course of hearing, the court asked the Respondents to explain how OPD of private hospitals could be closed. The court also asked the Chief Medical Officer, Allahabad to re-consider the position before the next date of hearing, i.e. June 18, 2020.

"Manish Goyal learned Additional Advocate General is directed to seek instructions as to the present state of affairs and about the viability of continuing with such restrictions.

Sri Goyal may also consider if the State Government or the CMO would like to revisit the aforesaid guidelines contained in the two notifications," the order reads.

On March 31, 2020, the State Government had issued a notification whereby inter alia, the Government Hospitals, Private Hospitals and the Nursing Homes in the State were restricted from admitting "routine cases" in the OPD section and it was ordered that only "emergency cases" of non-Covid patients will be admitted thereon.

The Petitioner-party had approached the High Court through Advocate Pranjal Shukla, stating that since the disease is likely to stay with us until a vaccine is discovered, it is necessary to have a separate set up/ infrastructure for treatment of corona cases.

It had therefore requested that the Government notification be quashed to the above extent and the state be directed to create separate infrastructure for treatment of corona patients and to resume the facilities for treatment of non-Covid patients, by opening of OPDs for "routine cases".

[Updated With Order]

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