Kerala HC Grants Relief To Cardiac Patient Who Complained Of Denial Of Treatment To Non-COVID Patients In Govt Hospital

The High Court of Kerala has directed the State authorities to take up the request for medical review of a cardiac patient at the earliest, after he moved the Court complaining that Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha was denying treatment to non-COVID patients.

A bench of Justice Anu Sivaraman passed the interim order in a writ petition filed by one Radhakrishnan (58), who said that the cardiac OP wing of Medical College Hospital, Alappuha has been closed following COVID19. Stating that closure of the department for non-COVID-19 patients left him "medically stranded", he sought for directions to open the cardiac OP wing.

In the petition filed through Advocates SK Adhithyan and Keerthi S Jyothi, the petitioner submitted that he was diagnosed with three blockages in the heart and has since suffered three cardiac arrests, but was denied medical (Bypass) surgery by the Government hospitals, on the ground of giving priority to COVID patients.

He further submitted that he belongs to the BPL category and cannot afford the hefty amount of Rs. 10,00,000/- being charged by the private hospitals to perform the 'Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting/ Intensive Medical Management' on him. 

The Government Pleader informed the Court that the petitioner's medical review will be carried out soon and that appropriate follow up action will be taken if he is found suitable for undergoing the surgical procedure in accordance with priority.

Following that, the Court directed the Director of the Medical College Hospital to see that the petitioner's request for review is carried out at the earliest and that the petitioner is subjected to due procedure, in case he is suitable for the same.

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