COVID-19 : Karnataka HC Seeks Details From Govt, BBMP On Immediate Medical Assistance To Patients

 The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the State government and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to submit details of procedures to be followed by patients tested positive for coronavirus to secure immediate medical help.

"A writ court cannot interfere in what manner you do this. But the writ court can surely ensure that there is a system in place and that system is implemented", the Court observed.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Alok Aradhe said that the response of the State and BBMP is "immediately necessary."

The bench has sought response on Tuesday on the following questions :

1: If a person himself wants to undergo a test for Covid-19 or is advised to undergo a test, in what manner he can approach designated laboratories?

2: Whether any priorities or timeliness are fixed for getting test reports from various laboratories.

3: If a person is tested positive in what manner immediate medical advice is available?. If advised hospitalization, whether online data of availability of beds with facility of real time updation is available.

4: In the city of Bengaluru the intimation of a positive report is sent to BBMP and a team of BBMP visits the residence of a person tested positive for making necessary arrangements to take him to hospital. What is the time lag between BBMP receiving information and BBMP team visiting the house of a patient?

5: If a patient is advised to get admitted to ICU or in a facility where ICU with a ventilator, in what manner he can secure admission to such hospital?

6 In event the ICU bed data is not available, is there any authority with whom complaint can be lodged so that immediate arrangement is made of availability of beds with ICU and for ventilator?.

7: If a patient is tested positive and is required to be admitted to hospital, in what manner he can secure admission in hospital?.

The court also suggested the state government should consider creating a centralized mechanism where a large number of helpline numbers to enable patients affected with COVID to secure assistance.  

The directions were given during the hearing of petitions filed by Advocate Geeta Misra, NGO Bharat Punarutthana Trust and suo-motu petition initiated based on letters written by Advocate P Anu Chengappa and Advocates Association of Bengaluru